Under new management, Eddie Nketiah and Matheus França must seize a vital pre-season to prove their worth before the Premier League campaign kicks off.
With Palace’s preparations for the upcoming campaign set to begin, new opportunities arise under a brand new manager, giving players otherwise sidelined a chance to impress and fight for a place in the squad next season.
The club have five pre-season games scheduled, with the potential for additional fixtures depending on their progression in the invitational Como Cup at the end of July, which we will be covering from Como!
Aside from the tournament in Italy, Palace have fixtures against Swindon Town, Bromley and German side Freiburg, who lost the Europa League final to Aston Villa in May.
For some, it’s also a final chance to prove their worth. With that in mind, here are the Palace players who have the most to prove with just over a month until the first game of the Premier League season.
Eddie Nketiah
The striker was signed for £29 million from Arsenal in 2024, but has struggled to find consistent form amongst injury issues and lack of selection. His first season was a relative success. He scored seven goals, including two on the route to Palace’s FA Cup triumph.
He also scored two goals in the Conference League last season, but a series of injuries including recurring hamstring and thigh issues saw him miss the vast majority of the season. His last appearance was against Tottenham in the Premier League back in December, missing the entirety of 2026 so far.
Palace came close to cashing in on Nketiah back in January, but West Ham pulled out of a deal to sign him permanently due to his lack of fitness and their need for instant impact.
Pierre Sage worked wonders with former Palace striker Odsonne Edouard in Ligue Un, and with Nketiah unlikely to attract a permanent departure after six months sidelined, stepping back into the squad and finding form could be the catalyst to really kick start Nketiah’s Palace career.
He’ll also have a head start on both Jorgen Stand Larsen and Jean-Philippe Mateta who will both miss the start of pre-season on holiday following their World Cup exits.
Matheus França
At 22-years-old, it feels like make or break for the Brazilian at Palace. He’s had a tough season on loan in his home country, but failed to break into the first team consistently for Vasco da Gama. A total of 27 appearances, amounting just 666 minutes resulted in one solitary goal for França, and now his future is in huge doubt.
His contract has two years left to run, and if he’s to have any chance of breaking into Sage’s squad this season, the next few weeks will be vital. If not, it may be defining in terms of the level of club he can depart Palace for.
David Ozoh
Despite injury issues during his two loan spells with Derby County, Ozoh impressed hugely at Pride Park, and is at the centre of interest from a number of Championship clubs, with Derby reportedly intrigued by the prospect of a permanent move.
With his contract expiring next Summer, the next few weeks feel huge for Ozoh’s future. He can either prove himself and be part of the first team squad next season, or earn himself a new deal and depart on loan.
There is no doubt that the talent is there, and with trust he could mould into a Premier League level player, but it’s more a case of whether or not Sage sees that talent and decides to trust it. Performing well in pre-season will be the ultimate decider for Ozoh’s future.
Romain Esse
After six months on loan in the Championship, Esse returns to Selhurst and will be hoping to rediscover form ahead of the new season. He was part of the Coventry side which won promotion to the top flight, playing 17 times and scoring twice, averaging 44 minutes per game.
He showed flashes of brilliance for Palace in the Conference League, but struggled to impress Oliver Glasner, whose reluctance to trust young players left fans frustrated at times. Sage will certainly favour youngsters more, so this pre-season is a great opportunity for Esse to get his head down and impress the new manager.
He’s still only 21, so there’s plenty of time for him to develop, but staying with Palace’s first team and getting consistent minutes will only aid his progression. If he can form consistency in his performances, and work hard for the team, there’s certainly a strong player in there.
