Oliver Glasner has responded to the rumours linking Chelsea outcast Raheem Sterling with a surprise transfer to Crystal Palace.
Sterling is one of several players who have no future at Stamford Bridge, but the veteran England international is struggling to find a new club.
The 30-year-old’s stock has fallen dramatically since leaving Manchester City for Chelsea in a £47.5million move three years ago, while a disastrous loan spell at Arsenal last season only made things worse.
Juventus have been linked with the winger but it is said he would prefer to stay in the Premier League and wants to remain in London where his family are settled.
Palace are among three capital clubs linked with his services, though Sterling’s £325,000-per-week wages and £20million price tag would complicate any transfer.
Your ultimate guide to the football season
In The Mixer: Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every week – sign up, it’s an open goal.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Liverpool, Glasner admitted he would like to sign a new forward before the transfer window closes.
The Palace manager had criticised the club for their lack of transfer activity earlier in the summer and did so again, saying: ‘We are quite passive.
‘We replaced Matt Turner with Walter Benitez and Ben Chilwell with Borna Sosa. It’s good to have them in the building [but] we have to add a few players to be ready for the competition.
‘If we want to be competitive we need players with quality. This is what we have to do in the next three weeks. We have to act.
‘If we want to play in four competitions, climb the Premier League table and reproduce success again it’s just what you have to do. Everyone knows this. It helps if players are in early when you start pre-season because you have time to train.
‘We definitely need two more players. One at the back, one in attack. We have good numbers, good quality, good competition. Challenging players for the top level is what we need.’
Glasner was then asked specifically if there was anything in the rumours linking Sterling with Selhurst Park, to which the Austrian bluntly replied: ‘Nothing.’
While the forward only managed one goal in 28 appearances for the Gunners last season, he still has a strong reputation from his time at City where he won four Premier League titles.
Oliver Glasner gives update on Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi’s Crystal Palace futures
Palace have also been strongly linked with selling two of their best players: captain Marc Guehi and FA Cup final hero Eberechi Eze.
Liverpool and Newcastle are set to battle it out for Guehi, while Arsenal are very interested in signing Eze who has a £68m release clause.
But Glasner says the players have not been distracted by the transfer gossip and will both be at Wembley, adding: ‘He [Eze] will play on Sunday definitely. Marc as well, Marc will captain the team.
‘It’s part of success. If you are a successful, the players perform very well and then maybe bigger clubs are interested in your players. We had this last year with Michael [Olise, who joined Bayern Munich].
It just shows that we have great players in the squad. Highly-talented players who did really well for Crystal Palace and then it is normal there are rumours, speculation.
‘But if you watch the training sessions they are 100 per cent focused on Crystal Palace. We will see what happens.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.