Disasi 'very happy' as Palace loan confirmedpublished at 12:36 BST
12:36 BST
Image source, Getty Images
Crystal Palace have confirmed the signing of defender Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea for the 2026-27 season.
The 28-year-old centre-back joined the Blues in 2023 and has since spent time on loan at Aston Villa and West Ham.
He has made 58 Premier League appearances for the three clubs and has five senior caps for France.
On the move, Disasi said: "I'm very happy. The club has been going in a very good direction, so I think it was the right place for me to keep going.
"I know that it's very tough to play against Palace at Selhurst Park - so I'm looking forward to being on the other side now."
Disasi is the club's seventh signing of the summer under new manager Pierre Sage as he reshapes the squad.
Palace chairman Steve Parish added: "We are pleased welcome a defender of Axel's experience and calibre to Palace for the season. I look forward to seeing him in action at Selhurst Park."
Palace fans - with the Disasi deal done, what other business does the club need to do before the window shuts?
How did Sage fare in his Premier League opener?published at 09:16 BST
09:16 BST
Image source, Getty Images
Premier League history was made before a ball was even kicked this season as a record nine clubs started the campaign with new managers.
The post-Oliver Glasner era has begun at Crystal Palace under Pierre Sage, who led Ligue 1 side Lens to their first French Cup last season before agreeing to take over at Selhurst Park.
So how did he fare on an eventful first weekend of the 2026-27 campaign?
It was a disappointing start for the highly regarded Sage, who did such an outstanding job at Lens, with defeat at Everton - but he also knows the outcome could have been a much more satisfactory one.
Palace's second-half display will have disappointed him, but they had chances in the opening period to set up their first win at Everton since 2014.
They hit the woodwork twice, while Jean-Phillipe Mateta was wasteful, meaning Sage and his team paid a heavy price.
Sage's unhappy opening weekend will not have been helped by a contract row surrounding striker Mateta, which puts his future in question, while he will also want more numbers and quality to add to his squad.
Next up is Manchester City at Selhurst Park, where Sage will sample the superb night game atmosphere as he searches for his first league win. It is no easy task.
When is the EFL Cup third-round draw?published at 07:00 BST
07:00 BST
Jonty Colman BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
The third-round draw for the 2026-27 Carabao Cup will take place on Wednesday, 26 August following the conclusion of Preston North End vs Everton.
Nine Premier League clubs taking part in European football join the 23 first-round winners from across the English Football League.
Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Sunderland, Brighton and Crystal Palace will enter the competition at this stage, as the top eight Premier League clubs from the 2025-26 season plus Crystal Palace as Conference League winners.
It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports following the conclusion of the third round tie between Preston North End and Everton, kicking off at 20:00 BST.
Unlike the opening two rounds of the competition, the third round draw is not regionalised.
However, before the match at Deepdale there will be a pre-draw determining which of the Champions League and Europa League clubs will play at home or away in round three.
In order to avoid potential scheduling issues, the eight Champions League and Europa League clubs cannot be drawn against each other in round three.
When the draw takes place, the first eight fixtures decided are the ones involving clubs in the Champions League and Europa League. The remainder of the draw will be an open draw as usual.
Due to clashes with opening weeks of the Champions League and Europa League seasons, the third round will be played across two different weeks. They are the weeks commencing Monday, 7 and Monday, 14 September, 2026.
What do Crystal Palace still need in the transfer window?published at 14:25 BST 25 August
14:25 BST 25 August
Alex Howell Football reporter
There has been a lot of change at Palace with the loss of Maxence Lacroix and a new manager starting the season in Pierre Sage.
The Eagles have been building depth for their Europa League campaign but still need a few bodies in the building.
Sage has made clear he wants a senior centre-back and Palace could be pushed to sign another defender too after the injury to Chadi Riad in the first game of the Premier League season against Everton.
Ollie Thomas, Crystal Palace fan
Riad's injury has amplified the need for another centre-back who is first-team ready.
Axel Disasi is a good start, but a bigger, permanent move would be great. That, plus a central midfielder, and we are set.
What business do you think still needs to get done before 23:00 BST on 1 September?
Will Palace cut ties with Mateta before transfer deadline?published at 15:45 BST 24 August
15:45 BST 24 August
Sami Mokbel Senior football correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
Despite his efforts to prove otherwise, Jean-Philippe Mateta still has 10 months left on his contract.
That is significant for a number of reasons.
It means if Crystal Palace are to recoup any money in transfer fees for the striker before he is eligible to sign a Bosman pre-contract with an overseas club in January, then this window provides their last opportunity to do so.
That fact will not be lost on those at Selhurst Park and there is a view from some at the club that they should look to sever ties in the coming days.
But with Mateta less than 12 months away from a free transfer, which would most probably be more financially lucrative for him than leaving for a fee this month, it would be understandable if the 29-year-old was not rushing out of the exit door.
Palace have attempted to renew Mateta's contract over the past the 12 months but to no avail.
And while the option of an extension cannot be completely discounted, it seems inconceivable that Mateta would perform a U-turn now given the lengths he has gone to to try to prove his current one is invalid.
Palace are likely to, at the very least, listen to offers for Mateta, who - by his actions - has indicated he views his future away from Selhurst Park.
Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace - the fans' verdict published at 12:44 BST 24 August
12:44 BST 24 August
Media caption,
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Everton and Crystal Palace.
Here are some of your comments:
Everton fans
Thomas: Hard to have any complaints, we scored two and on another day could have scored more. Solid performances across the board but I'd like to see us recruit a proper right back, then my optimism will be in full swing.
William: A nervous start but our first win which will boost our team and they look like they believe in getting the result in their new home. Onwards and upwards after a great result.
Chris: Things beginning to look ever so slightly positive. When everyone's fit the midfield options are there.
Dusty: A few lucky moments with Palace hitting the woodwork, but overall a solid performance. I have faith in Moyes and feel we can give most teams a game. A good signing or two could really boost an already great start to the season.
Harry: Great to be back and especially getting three points. Palace were unlucky not to go ahead and there were lessons to be learned for our defence! Barry will get a lot of confidence from scoring and Armstrong will get better as the season develops. All we need now is a new manager to inspire them.
Crystal Palace fans
Steve: An inability to put the ball in the back of the net continues. Palace cannot just depend upon one man - Sarr! The midfield has to chip in on a regular basis. Palace should have been two or three up in the first half.
Bob: Welcome to the Premier League Pierre Sage. It will be an uphill struggle right from the start as uncertainty around our squad continues. Sarr could also be leaving us and there's a legal battle going on about Mateta's contract. I really wish that the transfer window closes before the start of the season. As it is now there's even more chance of losing key players. At least there was a little consolation today.
Freddie: The unlucky streak at Everton continues. Another promising start, only to be punished for not taking our chances. It was encouraging to see a glimpse of what life after Glasner could look like under Sage, with some positive, attacking football. Nothing to worry about just yet, we hope!
Will: Played some nice stuff in the first half but I'm not surprised at the result in the end. With Hull and Ipswich already looking lively, and Sarr looking for a move, I have a feeling we're in for a long season.
The 29-year-old has become a cult hero at the Eagles because of his trademark celebration where he kicks the corner flag to shouts of "boom" from supporters, while the striker also scored the winning goal in the final as Palace won the Conference League last season.
It has not always been smooth sailing for Mateta, though.
The forward had a slow start to his Palace career but his trajectory was transformed under the guidance of former boss Oliver Glasner.
Mateta became one of the most reliable strikers in the Premier League and scored 46 goals in 109 games under the Austrian.
That form led to interest in Mateta across Europe, and the contract stand-off that has the club and the striker in the current situation.
Mateta has always been highly ambitious and made clear his desire to play for clubs at the elite level of the game, even during times early on in his Palace career when his form made it seem unlikely.
Alongside his aim to represent top clubs across Europe, Mateta has chased a place in the France national team and he achieved that goal in October last year before securing a place in the final 26-man squad for the World Cup.
When it seemed like Mateta would leave the club in January, Palace moved to sign Jorgen Strand Larsen as a replacement for a deal worth up to £48m.
The Norway striker made his debut for Crystal Palace in a win over rivals Brighton last season and fans repeatedly chanted his name in a show of support as Mateta's time at the club looked to be over.
However, Mateta failed his AC Milan medical and remained at the club, being ruled out for about two months with the issue.
He was booed by some sections of fans when he returned in the last-16 tie against AEK Larnaca in March before he turned around the fan feeling with a goal in the final of the Conference League, and he ended the season with 16 goals.
Mateta has been a key part of the most successful time in Palace's history, but the current contract stand-off threatens to leave a stain on his time at Selhurst Park.
Problems pile up for Crystal Palacepublished at 07:34 BST 24 August
07:34 BST 24 August
Sami Mokbel Senior football correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
It was not the best opening game of the season for Crystal Palace.
Ismaila Sarr was not included in the matchday squad with new manager Pierre Sage revealing he has been struggling with an injury.
Sources have told BBC Sport Sarr did not train for two days leading into the encounter with Everton, complaining of a groin issue, amid interest from Turkish side Galatasaray.
Palace do not want to sell their star forward, who scored 21 goals last season as the Eagles won the Community Shield and the Conference League.
One source has said the interest from Galatasaray is concrete but only a bid well above market value would even be considered by Palace.
Meanwhile, defender Chadi Riad was stretchered off with a serious knee injury in the 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park.
Riad has been affected by knee injuries since joining Palace in 2024 - suffering an issue in his second game for the club. Back-to-back knee injuries meant he was absent from the squad for more than 400 days.
Wantaway players, an opening day defeat and a serious-looking knee injury. The season could not have got off to a worse start for Pierre Sage.
'It could be a tricky debut season for Sage'published at 12:22 BST 23 August
12:22 BST 23 August
Sarah Mulkerrins Final Score reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Pierre Sage, welcome to the Premier League and the fine margins that can swing a game.
Looking down at the French football manager in the second half, he was rubbing his chin with his hand after making a couple of substitutions to try to rescue something from a game that started so brightly for Crystal Palace.
He's the new man in charge, but he has an old problem to solve. How to get his team to finish off the many chances they create. They were on top early on. Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eddie Nketiah and Daniel Munoz all had more than decent chances that could have easily found the net. But once Everton exerted control then the chances disappeared.
The second half saw Palace offer very little threat and Sage said "we gave up a little". They were missing the quality of their top scorer last season, Ismaila Sarr, who didn't travel amid the links with a move to Galatasaray. With the loss of Maxence Lacroix in defence, it could be a tricky debut season for Sage if more signings don't arrive before the deadline.
Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace: What Sage and Richards saidpublished at 17:55 BST 22 August
17:55 BST 22 August
Media caption,
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "I think our first half should have put us ahead, but we didn't score and then made mistakes. We have to take positives and convert into very good things.
"Sometimes you deserve but don't score. What we have to keep from the first half is how we play, but we did make easy mistakes.
"We play with the ball and can lose it under pressure, but today we lost it when not under pressure. That's something we have to cancel.
"In the second half we were with less energy. I made the substitutions because I thought we could play more dynamic, but it didn't happen. We gave up a little bit. We have to understand when it's 2-0 the game is not over."
On Chadi Riad injury: "At the moment I don't know, I hope it will be better than we think. We await the medical tests."
Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "This is a tough place to play, regardless of the stage of the season. First game of the season you can't leave chances on the table. They carried momentum in to the second half and it was an uphill battle from there."
How is the team different under Pierre Sage than under Oliver Glasner?: "Different tactics, same formation but a different way of playing. Pre-season we saw a lot of different things, new players coming in. Today was a good line in the sand regardless of the result."
What are Palace's aims this season?: "Improving on everything, in the league [last season] we dropped a bit lower than we wanted to. It would be great to win some silverware. We've got a taste for it, so it would be great to win some three years in a row."
Did you know?
Crystal Palace have lost seven of their last 10 Premier League games against Everton (D3), their joint-most defeats against any side in the competition since 2021-22 (also 7 against Arsenal & Chelsea).
Crystal Palace recorded an expected goals tally of 2.04, their highest in a Premier League game without scoring since December 2018 against Cardiff (2.1).
Analysis: Does defeat foreshadow struggles this season?published at 17:27 BST 22 August
17:27 BST 22 August
Keifer MacDonald BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
When the Crystal Palace players trudged off the pitch, Pierre Sage cut a deflated figure.
Saturday afternoon had provided the Frenchman with a brutal introduction to life as a Premier League manager and to the fine margins that can decide games.
On another day, perhaps one where Ismaila Sarr was available for selection, it might have been Palace who were dancing and celebrating their way back to the dressing room.
But for a number of reasons, particularly the width of the post, it was not to be for Palace or for Sage.
For all the success Palace have enjoyed over the last 12 months, winning three trophies, including the FA Cup, even the most optimistic of supporters would have been prepared for a period of transition following the exit of Oliver Glasner.
Add to that the departure of defender Maxence Lacroix and the possibility of Sarr leaving before the transfer window closes, and Palace will do well to replicate the success they enjoyed in 2025 and 2026.
Sarr not in Palace squad amid Galatasaray interestpublished at 15:42 BST 22 August
15:42 BST 22 August
Alex Howell and Sami Mokbel Football reporter and Senior football correspondent
Image source, Getty Images
Ismaila Sarr is not in the Crystal Palace squad for the match against Everton after the forward complained of a groin issue amid interest from Turkish side Galatasaray.
Sources have told BBC Sport that Sarr has not trained for the last two days.
Crystal Palace do not want to sell their star forward who scored 21 goals in all competitions last season as the Eagles won the Community Shield and the Conference League.
Before Palace's Premier League opener, Pierre Sage said: "Two days ago, I said he will play. And yesterday, we make a medical point with the doctor of the club, the player and me.
"We have chosen that he cannot play because for the moment he's not really 100 per cent. That's why we didn't want to take a risk."
One source has said that the interest from Galatasaray is concrete but the Eagles do not want to sell Sarr and only a bid well above market value would even be considered.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Ipswich v Sunderland" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Tottenham match", for example.
Sutton's predictions: Everton v Crystal Palacepublished at 11:05 BST 22 August
11:05 BST 22 August
After the success Oliver Glasner had at Crystal Palace, new boss Pierre Sage has got some big shoes to fill.
Still, Palace have got some serious firepower and plenty of goals in their team, so I think they will be fine this season.
Goals are a bigger problem for Everton and again the key to their campaign probably rests on what manager David Moyes can get out of strikers Thierno Barry and Beto.
But I am sure Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will chip in too because he is a wonderful footballer and, while I do see Palace scoring, I fancy Everton to edge this.
Everton v Crystal Palace: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 19:21 BST 21 August
19:21 BST 21 August
Matthew Hobbs BBC Sport journalist
An Everton side who competed for the European places for much of last season begin this campaign against a Crystal Palace team playing their first Premier League game under manager Pierre Sage.
BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into their meeting at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
Everton begin the new season with perhaps two main ambitions: a challenge for the European places that lasts until the end of the campaign and better form at home.
In 2025-26, the Toffees were in contention for Champions League football before failing to win any of their final seven matches.
Those fixtures included a last-gasp home defeat by rivals Liverpool and a chastening home loss to Sunderland - disappointing results indicative of wider struggles in their first campaign at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton's points-per-game tally of 1.2 at home last season was the lowest by any team to start life in a new stadium in the Premier League in the competition's history.
The need for a win in Everton's opening fixture of the new campaign is pressing for two additional reasons.
First, the Blues' past four opening matches of a Premier League season amount to a total of zero goals and zero points.
Secondly, they are at risking of failing to win in eight successive league outings for the first time in either of David Moyes' two reigns with the club.
Moyes broke his summer-long silence earlier this week to declare that Everton "need to do more" in the transfer market before it closes at the end of this month.
The Toffees have officially signed five players, although midfielder Merlin Rohl and winger Tyrique George were on loan at the club last season, while the departures of Seamus Coleman and Idrissa Gueye have deprived Everton of more than 600 Premier League appearances' worth of experience.
One piece of business done so far was a swap with Saturday's visitors, with wingers Brennan Johnson moving to Merseyside and Dwight McNeil heading to south London.
It means that both players could make their debuts against their former club in a match between two sides who prefer to play without the ball.
Excluding the relegated teams, Everton ranked lowest (43.5%) and the Eagles third lowest (45.5%) for average possession last season, meaning a cagey contest could be expected.
Palace will be playing their first Premier League game with Sage at the helm following the departure of Oliver Glasner.
While the former Lens boss has big shoes to fill following Palace's triumphs in the FA Cup and Conference League under Glasner over the past two seasons, immediate priorities may involve rectifying a recurrent weakness.
Palace conceded 20 set-piece goals (excluding penalties) in the Premier League in 2025-26 – the joint most of any team – while conceding from set-pieces accounted for 39% of all goals that Palace let in last season, the highest ratio of any side.
Sage is attempting to become just the third Palace manager to win his opening game in the Premier League, but his tenure begins with something of a bogey fixture.
The Eagles have won just one of the last 23 Premier League meetings with Everton (D10, L12), a 3-1 home victory in December 2021. They have not won away from home against the Toffees in more than a decade.
Disasi closes in on Palace loanpublished at 11:48 BST 21 August
11:48 BST 21 August
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea defender Axel Disasi has been given permission to visit Crystal Palace for a medical as talks progress over a season-long loan move.
Palace have emerged as the leading contenders to sign the France centre-back, 28, with all parties open to completing a deal.
Negotiations are continuing over the size of the loan fee.
For Palace, Disasi would become the club's seventh signing of the summer under new manager Pierre Sage as he reshapes the squad.
Sage begins his reign with a trip to Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are aiming to reduce their squad size from about 40 players to closer to 25 during the final 10 days of the transfer window.
Alongside Disasi, Omari Kellyman and Deivid Washington are nearing moves to partner club Strasbourg, while Benoit Badiashile has had a medical with Napoli.
Disasi spent last season on loan at West Ham, who were interested in making the deal permanent. However, an agreement could not be reached after the Hammers were relegated to the Championship.
Crystal Palace's numbers last seasonpublished at 09:12 BST 21 August
09:12 BST 21 August
Chris Collinson BBC Sport statistician
Image source, Getty Images
Being a Crystal Palace fan last season must have been a frustrating experience (in the league at least) as their team missed so many chances, resulting in only the bottom two sides Wolves and Burnley scoring fewer than their 41 goals.
While they only ranked 13th for shots, Brentford were the only side to create better chances on average which gave Palace the eighth-highest expected goals figure at 58.4.
As a result, Crystal Palace scored an incredible 17 goals fewer than they should have given the number and quality of chances they had.
That doesn't just make them the worst finishers in the Premier League last season, but the worst out of all 96 teams in Europe's top five leagues.
Given that they were pretty solid at the back, if Palace had simply taken their chances at the rate of an average Premier League side, they would have been likely to finish in the top half rather than in 15th place.
Image source, Getty Images
