Crystal Palace have announced the appointment of Pierre Sage as their new manager.
The Athletic reported earlier on Monday that the three-year deal had been agreed before the south London club announced it pending his visa confirmation.
The Frenchman is set to start work on July 6, ahead of the majority of the first team squad’s proposed return for the start of pre-season on July 10.
The Athletic reported on June 9 that Palace were closing in on an agreement to appoint the 47-year-old, who previously managed Lens, as Oliver Glasner’s successor.
He will be joined in south London by his assistant at Lens, Jamal Alioui, with the rest of his backroom staff still being finalised. Existing coaches Paddy McCarthy and Andy Quy are staying on to be part of Sage’s new team.
“It’s amazing to be here at Crystal Palace,” Sage said in a statement on the club’s website. “I am excited by the history of the club, and by recent seasons. Oliver Glasner achieved some amazing things, and now I have to do the same. That’s why we come here with a lot of ambition.
“The dynamic here is really positive, and we are in this mindset too. We won last year – and we want to continue in this way, in a new club, a new project, but with a lot of winning habits.
“We want to give our best every day for the team, for the club, for the people, and especially for the fans, because when you love a club in England, it’s for all your life. We want to give the fans what they want. We want to make the fans smile, to be proud of the team, and to be proud of the club — so we will give our best for you, and we are together.”
Sage has previously had several jobs within football management, including as a sports coordinator, technical director, scout, and youth coach.
Before his successful period in charge of Lens, his only previous senior managerial experience came with Lyon, whom he coached between January 2024 and January 2025.
He was appointed Lens head coach in the summer of 2025, guiding them to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season — six points behind Paris Saint-Germain. He also led the French side to the Coupe de France, beating Nice in the final, for the first time in club history.
In an April 2025 interview with The Athletic, Sage revealed that it was his “dream” to work in England, calling it the “best country” and praising the Premier League.