Crystal Palace: How Oliver Glasner Unlocked the Successor to Michael Olise’s Throne
Football has a unique way of generating unexpected narratives. For the Selhurst Park faithful, the 2025/26 campaign has been a whirlwind of contrasting emotions—frustration over departing icons met with the exhilarating prospect of more major silverware. As the Eagles prepare to defend a commanding 3-0 lead against Fiorentina in the Conference League quarter-finals, the club finds itself at a fascinating crossroads of transition and triumph.
While manager Oliver Glasner is set to depart at the conclusion of the season, he has the opportunity to cement his legacy by delivering another continental trophy. This potential success is made all the more remarkable considering the high-profile exits the club has weathered, including Marc Guehi’s move to Manchester City in January and Eberechi Eze’s high-profile switch to Arsenal last summer.
The Impossible Task: Filling the Olise Void
Despite the talent lost across the pitch, it is the absence of Michael Olise that arguably left the deepest wound. Since his £50m move to Bayern Munich in 2024, Olise has ascended to the stratosphere of world football, earning accolades as one of the premier wingers on the planet. His departure left a vacuum in both creativity and star power that few expected to be filled so quickly.
Initially, the responsibility of filling that gap fell to Ismaila Sarr. The Senegalese attacker has been a revelation in an Eagles shirt, tallying an impressive 16 goals in 34 matches. Sarr has embraced the role of the club’s primary goal threat, proving himself a vital asset in Glasner’s tactical setup. However, while Sarr provides the finishing touch, he lacks the innate, “generational” creative spark that made Olise a household name. To find a player with that specific ceiling, Palace fans have had to look slightly further back on the pitch.
The Rise of the Midfield “Cheat Code”
The player currently drawing the closest comparisons to Olise’s trajectory isn’t a forward at all, but rather the metronomic Adam Wharton. While Olise was a flair player on the flank, Wharton has become the heartbeat of the Palace midfield. Since joining as a teenager from Blackburn Rovers, Wharton has racked up 86 appearances, becoming a “cheat code” for the South London side through his exceptional vision and technical security.
The 22-year-old’s development has mirrored Olise’s own growth path—arriving from the Championship and rapidly adapting to the demands of elite-level football. This season, Wharton has elevated his game to a new level, particularly in terms of his creative output.
Adam Wharton’s Creative Evolution in the Premier League:
- 2023/24 Season: 5 Big chances created | 1.3 Key passes per game
- 2024/25 Season: 5 Big chances created | 1.3 Key passes per game
- 2025/26 Season: 11 Big chances created | 1.1 Key passes per game
While the raw number of key passes has dipped slightly, the quality of chances created has doubled, illustrating a player who is becoming far more surgical and intentional with his distribution.
A £100m Future and Continental Ambitions
Wharton’s importance to the club is reflected in his staggering £100m price tag, a figure meant to ward off interest from European heavyweights like Liverpool. Having already played a pivotal role in FA Cup and Community Shield victories, Wharton is now the driving force behind Palace’s quest for Conference League glory. A win against Fiorentina would not only add a European trophy to the cabinet but also guarantee Europa League football for next season.
Whether the Eagles can fend off the giants of Europe to keep Wharton at Selhurst Park remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: just as they did with Olise, Crystal Palace has developed a global superstar capable of competing at the highest level. If he does eventually move on, he will do so for a fee that makes the Olise deal look like a bargain, ensuring the club’s upward trajectory continues long after the current era concludes.
