Crystal Palace are in a position to make the 2025/26 campaign a truly special one.
Oliver Glasner has his side sat third in the Premier League, on a run of 18 games without defeat and two trophies sitting in the cabinet at Selhurst Park.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LiverpoolLiverpool | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 15 |
| 2 |  ArsenalArsenal | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 9 | 13 |
| 3 |  Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 12 |
| 4 |  TottenhamTottenham | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 11 |
Despite this unprecedented success, plans are still being made behind the scenes to get even better, with reports in Brazil stating that talks are taking place with Flamengo for Wallace Yan.
Who is the Brazilian Crystal Palace target? Let’s take a look.
Matt Hobbs in talks to sign wonderkid with £52m release clause in Wallace Yan
Crystal Palace have hired Matt Hobbs to replace Dougie Freedman as Director of Football.
The Englishman has strong connections in South America, using his links to sign the likes of Matheus Cunha, Joao Gomes and Andre at Wolves.
Bolavip in Brazil now state that Hobbs is in talks with Flamengo over a January deal for Yan, the 20-year-old prodigy who even scored against eventual champions Chelsea at the FIFA Club World Cup in June.
The Flamengo No.64 is said to have a €60m (£52m) release clause, and Crystal Palace are described as the ‘main interested party’ with the deal ‘gaining momentum’ as talks progress.
If an agreement is found, Glasner would be getting himself a versatile forward who can cover four different attacking positions.
| Position | Games | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Striker | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Second Striker | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Left Midfield | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Right Midfield | 1 | 0 | 0 |
As you can see, Yan played centrally, on the left and also on the right in the 2024/25 campaign, appearing as a support striker too, which points to a potential connection when playing off Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The 20-year-old can boast seven goals and four assists in his 28 appearances for Flamengo, a fine return for a player of his age.
| Full name | Wallace Yan de Souza Barreto | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8th February 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.82m (6ft 0in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
Wallace Yan agreement could aid Oliver Glasner contract talks
Aside from talks with Flamengo, Hobbs hopes to agree a new contract with Glasner before January starts.
The Austrian is currently set to leave Crystal Palace when his deal expires in June.
Glasner wants assurances that Steve Parish is willing to match his ambitions before committing his future to the Eagles, having often spoken publicly about his dissatisfaction over recruitment, particularly the late arrival of new signings.
Therefore, an exciting move for a £52m-rated talent in Yan could provide the signal to Glasner that Crystal Palace intend to keep building upon this successful period under his guidance.
