How are Crystal Palace shaping up for new season?

Oliver Glasner's summer plans appear on hold until Crystal Palace's Europa League appeal is heard

Crystal Palace's summer has played out in the boardroom and will continue in the courtroom.

The club's failed fight to maintain their place in the Europa League next season has dominated the club's summer, in what should have been a period of celebration and optimism following their FA Cup triumph in May.

The forthcoming appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), scheduled to take place behind closed doors on 8 August, will ultimately determine whether Palace keep what they believe to be their rightful place in the Europa League or will play in the lesser Europa Conference League.

A decision is expected on 11 August.

There has also been the matter of American businessman Woody Johnson's buy-out of former Eagles joint-owner John Textor's shares.

On the pitch, however, there is similar uncertainty.

Two of their best players in Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze have interest from England's elite clubs, their manager Oliver Glasner is inside the final 12 months of his contract and the club are currently without a full-time sporting director following Dougie Freedman's departure.

So far their two summer signings are a goalkeeper - signed for free - and a £3m left-back.

Earlier this week, Glasner went public with his concerns regarding the club's transfer business so far.

Here, BBC Sport examines how Palace's summer is shaping up as they look to build on last May's euphoric FA Cup triumph.

Decisions due on Eze and Guehi

Both Marc Guehi (left) and Eberechi Eze (right) have been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park

Out of Eze and Guehi, there is less pressure on Palace to make a big decision on the former.

In many ways it is out of their hands. The England international has a £68m release clause - if a club agrees to meet that fee then Palace are powerless in deciding his future.

It is understood the buy-out expires two weeks before the start of the new season, which offers Palace an added layer of protection.

Arsenal have a genuine interest in Eze but have so far shown no inclination of triggering the forward's release fee.

Well-placed sources are also indicating that Arsenal would prefer to sell a forward before making any formal move for Eze.

While there is also a feeling at Arsenal that Eze's best position is at number 10 - an area that Martin Odegaard and Ethan Nwaneri operate in.

Eze can play on the left and Arsenal may view the Palace forward as a multi-functional attacker rather than just a number 10.

Palace are aware of Arsenal's interest.

The Gunners are understood to value Eze lower than the clause and want to negotiate a deal beneath the agreement.

Eze joined Arsenal aged eight but was released by the club when he was 13

As things stand, Palace chairman Steve Parish has shown no indication he would be open to negotiating a lower price; though there is a thought at rival clubs his stance may soften later in the window, to avoid the player going into the final year of his deal.

It is understood Eze is very open to joining Arsenal.

The attraction is clear, with Arsenal a contender for both the Premier League and Champions League next season.

However, that is not to say Eze is desperate to leave Selhurst Park.

The 27-year-old is a key member of the Palace squad. He is immensely popular among his colleagues.

It sounds cliche, but the camaraderie nurtured at Palace under Glasner is something numerous sources have told BBC Sport players would find difficult to walk away from. A recent party attended by almost all of the squad was illustrative of their bond.

That would be true for Eze.

But Arsenal do not come knocking often. When they do, particularly for Eze - who was turned down by the Gunners as a youngster - such an offer would be hard to resist.

Liverpool's interest in Guehi

Guehi has less than 12 months on his current Crystal Palace contract

Guehi's future at Palace is less straightforward. The Eagles captain has fewer than 12 months on his contract, meaning he can leave for nothing next summer - a prospect that would represent a huge financial loss to the club given they turned down a deal of around £65m from Newcastle for Guehi in 2024.

As things stand, there are no signs Guehi is prepared to extend his contract, though Palace are obviously keen to discuss a new deal.

Liverpool have a genuine interest in Guehi this summer.

But the level of the Merseyside club's interest will be dictated by cost. Liverpool don't want to get drawn into a long saga over Guehi's valuation and will only move if they believe the fee represents that the defender can join them for nothing next summer.

Palace are believed to want around £40m for Guehi, but Liverpool want to pay less than that figure.

Tottenham, Newcastle and Chelsea have all registered varying degrees of interest in Guehi since the end of the season.

Guehi finds himself in a unique position of power: a homegrown player in the final year of his deal.

That comes with a delicate balance of trying to maximise the situation he is in, but also acknowledge that certain chances do not come around all too often.

Indeed, the opportunity to join the Premier League champions, particularly given their exciting summer additions that could yet include Alexander Isak, is one Guehi would likely give serious consideration to.

Equally, another option open to Guehi is to see out the final season of his deal with a view to leaving on a free transfer next summer.

His options would certainly enhance in that scenario. The financial packages on offer would also be more lucrative.

There are risks attached to that, of course, injury being the main one.

Freedman loss being felt

Dougie Freedman's departure earlier this summer arrived as a blow and navigating his exit during such a busy period has presented various obstacles.

Freedman has been on hand to oversee parts of the transfer window, given he was at the forefront of formulating the club's summer plan.

Indeed, many of Palace's transfer targets were recommended by Freedman.

For instance, the club's first choice central defensive option - Sporting Lisbon's Ousmane Diomande - is a player identified by Freedman.

The free transfer capture of goalkeeper Walter Benitez is also one of the Scot's recommendations.

The loss of Freedman, who has taken a multi-sport role at Saudi club Al-Diriyah, will be keenly felt.

He has been influential in the recruitment of the club's best players, often plucking them from lower-level clubs.

Eze, Guehi, Michael Olise, Adam Wharton, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Chris Richards and Daniel Munoz are among the players recruited by Freedman from relative obscurity.

Wharton - like Eze and Guehi - has attracted top-level interest but the midfielder is likely to stay this summer.

Whether Palace can keep the England international beyond the following close season remains to be seen, with Liverpool among the clubs watching closely.

In Freedman's absence, his number two Ben Stevens and recruitment consultant Iain Moody have, alongside Parish, taken greater responsibility in the transfer market.

Stevens, in particular, continues to benefit from Freedman's expertise.

Palace, however, are not ruling out replacing Freedman on a long-term basis. BBC Sport has learned Matt Hobbs has emerged as an external candidate should Palace decide to appoint a new full-time sporting director.

Hobbs left Wolves earlier this summer and has been recommended to Palace, with the club's new American owners keen to have a direct replacement for Freedman in place.

Another path the club are understood to be considering is appointing someone in a senior scouting role to replace Freedman's renowned talent identification abilities.

In that scenario, Stevens and Moody would see their remits widen.

I was promised we'd be more active - Glasner

Oliver Glasner's contract also runs out in the summer of 2026

Like Guehi, manager Glasner also has under a year left on his contract.

Talks over an extension are underway but as yet there has been no resolution.

Nevertheless, Palace are absolutely clear in their intention to keep Glasner and would like the matter resolved sooner rather than later.

There is logic, however, in the Austrian waiting until the end of the window before committing to a longer contract.

Losing Guehi and Eze would leave the team significantly weakened.

It will be a tall order to replace both players with players who are of a similar level, particularly for Palace where the recruitment budget isn't huge.

Glasner was pointed when asked about the club's transfer business so far this summer after the pre-season game against Mainz.

"Even though all the players are still here, we haven't made the most of the transfer window so far. I was promised that we would be more active and bring in the new players earlier this year," he said.

"As of now, I have 17 outfield players. I hope we don't lose any more. If that happens and we get four new ones on deadline day like last year, another false start is possible."

The fact one player has already complained of slight muscular soreness in recent days will have accentuated Glasner's concerns.

There are a number of questions that still need answering. Glasner is eagerly awaiting the outcome.