Crystal Palace are reportedly exploring a move for Lens manager Pierre Sage as they search for a new head coach this summer.
The club had been strongly interested in Andoni Iraola, but those hopes have since faded as Palace reassess their available options.
According to talkSPORT, the former Bournemouth boss is now expected to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool, forcing Palace to look elsewhere.
With Iraola no longer a realistic target, Crystal Palace have had to move quickly and redirect their focus toward other candidates.
Pierre Sage has earned a strong reputation in France after guiding Lens through a remarkable campaign in Ligue 1 this season.
His Lens side lifted the French cup and finished second in Ligue 1, which represents a significant achievement given the competition they faced.
That level of success has attracted attention from several clubs, particularly Premier League sides looking for progressive and tactically sharp coaches.
Sage is not among the most high-profile names in European football, but he has demonstrated an ability to organise, inspire and deliver without a huge budget.
For Crystal Palace, the appointment would represent a pivot away from more established targets toward a coach with fresh ideas and recent momentum.
The Iraola situation created urgency at Selhurst Park, with the club unwilling to lose time while their managerial search dragged on without resolution.
Luring Sage away from Lens will not be straightforward, however, as the French club can offer him Champions League football as a powerful incentive to stay.
Moving to Palace would represent a step into a much tougher league, but would also bring enormous visibility and a different kind of professional challenge.
Palace would need to sell Sage on their long-term project convincingly, as he is unlikely to leave a successful Lens side without strong persuasion.
What Crystal Palace may not need is a superstar manager, but rather someone tactically focused, calm and capable of developing players consistently.
If Palace miss out on Iraola entirely, pursuing a coach with Sage’s recent record in France could prove to be a smart and well-timed decision.
The post Crystal Palace Target Pierre Sage As Andoni Iraola Liverpool Move Ends Pursuit appeared first on Gooner Daily.