The 45-year-old German has been without a club since his dismissal by Frankfurt in January and is ready to return to management. He stands as a credible alternative should Palace's primary target, Andoni Iraola, not commit to taking the role at Selhurst Park. The departing Bournemouth manager remains the first choice but has yet to make a final decision.
Glasner leaves Palace in extraordinary circumstances. The Austrian, who joined in February 2024 when the club were in relegation danger, transformed them into a competitive mid-table side and guided them to the Conference League title last weekend — the first major European trophy in the club's history. He will not be short of interest.
Toppmöller follows a similar pathway to Glasner: both held the head coach role at Eintracht Frankfurt and are associated with the Bundesliga club's attacking identity. He took charge at Frankfurt in June 2023 and in his first full season guided the club to sixth place in the Bundesliga. His second and final campaign ended in dismissal in January 2026 after Frankfurt's form deteriorated, though he left with a points-per-game average of 1.55 across 121 competitive matches.
Before Frankfurt, Toppmöller served as Julian Nagelsmann's assistant at RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, building significant technical experience at the highest level. He also won three consecutive league titles as head coach of Luxembourgish club F91 Dudelange. His father, Klaus Toppmöller, led Bayer Leverkusen to the 2002 Champions League final.
Palace owner Steve Parish is expected to speak with multiple candidates before making a decision. Toppmöller is understood to be enthusiastic about the prospect of working in the Premier League, and his familiarity with developing young players at Frankfurt fits the model Parish has built at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace will play Europa League football next season after their Conference League victory. The prospect of European competition under a new head coach adds urgency to the appointment process.