Oliver Glasner believes that Ben Chilwell can reignite his career with Crystal Palace after joining the club on loan from Chelsea.
The last 18 months have been challenging for Chilwell, who initially struggled with injuries before falling out of favour under Blues head coach Enzo Maresca.
Chilwell has not made a Premier League appearance since April 2024, while his only outing this season came in the second half of the Blues' 5-0 EFL Cup win against Barrow in September last year.
The 28-year-old left-back, who joined Palace on deadline day, is now fit and raring to go, hoping to establish himself as a regular left wing-back under Glasner, who has confirmed that the England international will make his debut in next Monday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Doncaster Rovers.
"When we were looking for players on the market, Ben was always one of our top targets," Glasner told reporters. "He is Premier League experienced and it was also about who can help us immediately, because we have only three-and-a-half months, then it is the end of the season.
Ready to go: @BenChilwell 🫡#CPFC pic.twitter.com/HS64t4dS9e
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) February 6, 2025
Chilwell to make Palace debut against Doncaster
"He played wing-back under Thomas Tuchel (at Chelsea) when they won the Champions League, he can play in a back four, so many aspects worked for him.
"Ben played many games for them and then, for reasons I don't know and I don't care, he didn't play. That was the only opportunity that we could sign him here, because if he is a starter for Chelsea, we don't have a chance to sign him."
Glasner added: "It can be a big chance for him (to reignite his career). He has to compete with Tyrick Mitchell because he has had an excellent season for us, very consistent on a very high level. But [Chilwell] is doing really well in training. He is fit.
"Unfortunately, he couldn't take part in Chelsea's team training in January. Team training is a little bit different, so we have to give him some days and maybe weeks, but the plan is he will get minutes at Doncaster."
© Imago
Glasner reacts to rejected Guehi bid on deadline day
Meanwhile, Glasner has insisted that Palace's "clear" intentions were to not sell any players on deadline day, after Tottenham Hotspur failed with a late bid to sign captain Marc Guehi.
It is understood that Spurs failed with a £70m offer for the centre-back, who has less than 18 months remaining on his contract and has been tipped to leave Selhurst Park in the near future.
"It was clear in our situation that we can't sell a player on deadline day because we don't find a replacement within a few hours. It's just impossible," said Glasner.
"Credit to the chairman (Steve Parish), I think they were not really negotiations. He explained to them pretty soon that there is no chance because of our situation, and it is always Crystal Palace has to be number one in all the considerations.
"Then it was clear, we can't sell Marc because we don't get a replacement."
Guehi is expected to be in contention to play against Doncaster next Monday, but Glasner has confirmed that Eberechi Eze will be rested for the FA Cup trip to the League Two club as he continues to recovers from an ongoing foot problem, while Chris Richards has missed training through illness and Eddie Nketiah is a major doubt with a twisted ankle.
Oliver Thomas
