Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is trying to convince Dougie Freedman to turn down Newcastle’s offer to become their sporting director after the former Scotland striker held talks about replacing Dan Ashworth.
Freedman, who has also been linked with Manchester United thanks to his impressive record at Selhurst Park, met Newcastle representatives last week and is understood to be weighing up whether to step in for Ashworth, who remains on gardening leave ahead of an expected move to Old Trafford to become their sporting director. Parish is determined to keep hold of the 49-year-old, who had successful spells as a player and manager at Palace before returning as sporting director in 2017.
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Sources have told the Guardian that Parish is “doing everything” to keep Freedman, who is said to be open to a new challenge after winning plaudits for his ability to spot emerging talent in the Championship and beyond. Newcastle are believed to view him as the ideal appointment to replace Ashworth and work alongside manager Eddie Howe as the owners aim for a return to the Champions League after crashing out in the group stage this season.
Friedman was heavily involved in the appointment of Oliver Glassner to replace Roy Hodgson in February and the Austrian has won five of his last six games. Reports in Germany claim that Bayern Munich are interested in talking to Glassner replaces Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season, although Palace are understood to be confident he has no intention of leaving the contract, which runs until 2026.
Glassner is understood to be keen not to let transfer speculation surrounding his squad affect preparations for next season, although it is acknowledged in the Palace boardroom that the club may need to sell some key players following their recent impressive displays. Michael Olisset is attracting strong interest from Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, among others, while there is also likely to be more speculation surrounding the futures of England pair Mark Guehi and Eberechi Eze.
Freedman controversially left his job as Palace manager to take over at Bolton in 2012, with Palace competing for promotion – a decision he said he always regretted. “I knew I made the wrong decision very early on in my career at Bolton, but it was a decision I made and unfortunately it was the wrong decision,” he said. “Looking back, of course I wouldn’t have gone, I would have stayed here and we would have got promotion [together] and that’s probably one of the things that drives me now. To make up for this disappointing decision I made.
