Oliver Glasner advised Crystal Palace fans “don’t always believe what you read” amid rumours surrounding the departures of star players Marc Guéhi and Eberechi Eze this summer.
Eze has been linked with a move to both Arsenal and Tottenham this summer, while according to ESPN sources, Liverpool are in talks with Palace over a move for Guéhi.
There was speculation pre-match over whether or not Eze and Guéhi would start the Premier League opening round clash with Chelsea due to the mounting rumours over both players departing.
Both players did indeed start at Stamford Bridge, with Eze scored a stunning free-kick that was disallowed due to Guéhi encroaching on the Chelsea wall in a 0-0 draw.
Glasner insisted that as long as Eze remains at Palace, he will play for the club.
“Eberechi Eze, as much as I know has a contract with Crystal Palace, he is a Crystal Palace player,” Glasner said.
“He showed it today and as long as he is a Crystal Palace player and he performs like this, he will play for us and nobody has told me anything else.
“He was picked because he is a Crystal Palace player and he is a very good Crystal Palace player, he trained all week, so there was no reason not to pick him.”
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Palace ended last season in jubilant circumstances when lifting the FA Cup at Wembley, thanks to a goal from Eze.
Since then, fans have had to nervously wait on the futures of both Guéhi and Eze in particular, as well as contending with the news that Palace will be competing in the Conference League and not the Europa League.
Having begun the season with a credible draw at Stamford Bridge and winning the Community Shield against Liverpool, Glasner advised that perhaps the speculation is just that.
“It is nothing personal with all of you [journalists] but advice to the kids, don’t always believe what you read, especially on the internet, and here is the same,” he added.
“Who knows this is the truth what is written, there are rumours and so many rumours and everyone tells something for their own advantage maybe.
“I watch the players every single day, in the training sessions, we meet them and again if most of the things that are written about them is true, they could not perform like this, the team could not be together like this, to be committed to each other like they are — it is just not possible.
“I am quite calm, but I also know we have two weeks to go and I know Ebs [Eze’s] clause is gone, so it is the club’s decision and we will see what happens.”
The transfer window closes on Sept. 2.
Palace host Nottingham Forest on Aug. 24, in the first match since the decision to demote them to the Conference League and in the process promote Forest to the Europa League.
