Crystal Palace’s 2025 summer window saw one era-defining star sold, several long‑serving stalwarts depart, and a clutch of youngsters head out on loan to make room for a deeper, more European-ready squad.
Headline Exit: Eberechi Eze to Arsenal
The biggest departure was Eberechi Eze, who joined Arsenal for a fee reported between £60m and £67.6m including add‑ons. Palace accepted the bid with two years left on his contract, balancing financial prudence with the player’s desire to move to his boyhood club, while using part of the money to reshape the squad around new signings like Yeremy Pino and Jaydee Canvot.
Senior First-Teamers Who Left
Several experienced players who had helped establish Palace in the Premier League moved on:
- Odsonne Édouard → Lens (undisclosed, c. £5m)
Centre-forward Édouard left for RC Lens after an up‑and‑down spell at Selhurst Park, freeing wages and a squad place up front. - Jeffrey Schlupp → Norwich / Celtic (free)
Versatile midfielder/left-sider Schlupp ended an eight‑year stay, joining Norwich City on a free according to Sports Mole, with other reports earlier linking him strongly to Celtic. - Joel Ward → released (free)
Long‑serving defender Joel Ward was released at the end of his contract, closing a decade‑plus chapter for one of the club’s most dependable pros. - Rob Holding → free
Centre-back Rob Holding also departed on a free, later joining Colorado Rapids, as Palace trimmed senior depth at the back after new arrivals. - Luke Plange → Grasshoppers (free)
Young striker Luke Plange left on a free to Grasshoppers, having never fully broken into Glasner’s plans.
Academy and Squad Players Out on Loan or Sold
To balance the squad and give prospects minutes, Palace sanctioned multiple loans and one notable youth sale:
- Jesurun Rak‑Sakyi → Çaykur Rizespor (loan) – Winger sent to Turkey for top‑flight experience after starring in previous EFL loans.
- David Ozoh → Derby County (loan) – Highly rated midfielder heading to the Championship to accelerate his development.
- Tayo Adaramola → Leyton Orient (loan) – Left-back gains senior minutes in League One.
- Joe Whitworth → Exeter City (loan) – Young goalkeeper picking up regular games in League One.
- Danny Imray → Blackpool (loan) and Jemiah Umolu → Bromley (loan) – Wide/defensive options gaining lower-league experience.
- Franco Umeh‑Chibueze → Portsmouth (c. £0.5m) – Young forward sold permanently for around £500k plus potential add‑ons.
Loan spells for other keepers (e.g. Owen Goodman to Huddersfield) and youngsters further underlined Palace’s strategy of using the EFL to ready players for a higher level.
Key 2025 Departures at a Glance
Overall, the 2025 window was defined by one giant sale (Eze), the respectful exit of senior club men like Ward and Schlupp, and a clear plan to park academy talents on serious loans while Oliver Glasner’s European-chasing core stays largely intact
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