Alious
Crystal Palace are operating extensively behind closed doors to address their ownership complications as they strive to secure their Europa League participation for the upcoming season.
The South London club earned qualification for the continental competition following their historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City last month, claiming their maiden major trophy in the process.
Nevertheless, co-proprietor John Textor’s simultaneous ownership of Lyon has created significant obstacles after the French outfit also secured Europa League qualification for next season.
UEFA regulations explicitly forbid clubs under identical ownership or directorship from participating in the same European tournament.
Compounding matters, fellow stakeholder David Blitzer controls Danish side Brondby, whose Conference League qualification prevents Palace from potentially dropping into that alternative competition.
The Guardian reported on June 5th that UEFA has dismissed proposals from both Textor and Blitzer to transfer their shareholdings into blind trusts, which would have enabled the Eagles to compete in Europe following discussions in Nyon, Switzerland, last week.
Financial analyst Stefan Borson has exclusively informed Football Insider of his “shock” regarding Palace’s breach of the governing body’s regulations.
Recent developments reveal that Nottingham Forest have formally contacted UEFA expressing concerns about Palace’s Europa League involvement, believing it would violate multi-club ownership protocols.
Forest secured Conference League qualification after concluding the Premier League campaign in seventh position.
Palace Confronts ‘Critical’ Challenge Following UEFA Development
Borson emphasized this represents a “critical” situation for Palace given how significantly the circumstances have intensified.
He explained to Football Insider: “The most surprising aspect is that when examining the regulations, Palace’s arrangement with Eagle Holdings doesn’t appear to violate the control provisions anyway.
“Reading article 5, which covers the integrity requirements they must address through blind trust usage, I cannot understand why they’ve breached it given his minority shareholding. He’s evidently not managing daily club operations.
“However, one potential complication UEFA might have identified appears in Crystal Palace’s financial statements under related-party disclosures, which references transactions between Palace and Molenbeek—an Eagle Holdings entity—plus dealings with Lyon, another Textor property.
“These represent minimal transactions: two player loans to Molenbeek worth approximately £70,000, and one player sale to Lyon valued around £1 million.
“Losing their Europa League position over such transactions would be completely absurd.
“Nevertheless, a genuine problem exists because this wouldn’t have progressed this far if it weren’t serious, and we wouldn’t have learned about it.
“Time is running short, and they must resolve this immediately.”
Palace Captain Rejects Tottenham Approach
Regarding on-field developments, Palace risk losing Marc Guehi during the current transfer window.
Football Insider disclosed on June 2nd that Guehi has already declined a Tottenham transfer in favor of a potential Liverpool move.
The Palace skipper’s contract expires in June 2026, making this summer the club’s optimal opportunity to secure substantial compensation for his departure.
Newcastle United remains interested after seeing four separate offers rejected for the 24-year-old during last summer’s window.
Urgent Resolution Required
The combination of ownership complications and potential player departures creates additional pressure on Palace’s management as they navigate both regulatory challenges and squad planning simultaneously.
The clock continues ticking toward the new season, with Palace requiring swift resolution of their ownership structure to avoid missing their historic European debut despite achieving their greatest trophy success.
Alious
