Ex-Leeds coach steps down from club after Crystal Palace express interest

Crystal Palace have been given a boost in their pursuit of a new manager, with one of their targets now stepping down from his post.

Palace’s season comes down to one game.

The south Londoners travel to Leipzig on Wednesday night to face Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final. It is the biggest fixture in the club’s European history, a chance to add continental silverware to the FA Cup and Community Shield already in the cabinet, and the perfect way to sign off on Oliver Glasner‘s tenure before the Austrian walks out the door.

Who replaces him remains the defining question of Palace’s summer.

Andoni Iraola has been the number one target for weeks, but the Bournemouth boss has already turned the club down twice and is now attracting serious rival interest from Bayer Leverkusen.

Filipe Luis, the 40-year-old former Chelsea and Atlético Madrid full-back who won eight trophies in 18 months at Flamengo before a shock sacking in March, has also held discussions with the Palace hierarchy.

But neither is confirmed, and the clock is ticking.

Now, a familiar name has re-entered the picture, and his timing could not be better.

Robbie Keane steps down from Ferencvaros after Crystal Palace interest

Indeed, it has now emerged that ex-Leeds assistant coach Robbie Keane has stepped down as head coach of Hungarian side Ferencvaros, according to multiple reports in Hungary and now confirmed by talkSPORT.

The 45-year-old Irishman leaves after 18 months in charge, having won the Hungarian top-flight title in his first season and guided the club to a Magyar Kupa triumph this campaign.

He also took Ferencvaros to the Europa League round of 16, where they were eliminated by Braga, and oversaw a squad that remained competitive despite narrowly losing the domestic title to ETO Gyor.

Palace had Keane on their radar as far back as February.

GiveMeSport reported at the time that the club viewed him as a genuine contender to replace Glasner, with sources close to Keane expecting him to leave Ferencvaros at the end of the season.

Keane’s managerial record is hard to argue with.

Before Ferencvaros, he won the Israeli Premier League title with Maccabi Tel Aviv in his first senior coaching role. Two league titles in two countries, a domestic cup, and a Europa League knockout phase appearance in the space of three years represents a CV that demands attenton.

Particularly for a club like Palace, who need a manager capable of competing in Europe, developing young players, and building an identity from scratch.

He is not without competition.

Celtic are also heavily interested in bringing Keane back to Parkhead, where he scored 12 goals in 16 appearances during a memorable loan spell in 2010.

Slovan Bratislava have declared their interest too, but Palace can offer the Premier League, potential European football, and the resources of a club on an upward trajectory.

Whether Keane ends up at Selhurst Park or Glasgow may depend on which club moves fastest.