Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor is willing to sell his shares in the club in order to ensure the Eagles can enter next season’s Europa League, according to reports.
The American, whose Eagle Football Group owns 43 per cent of Palace, has imperilled the club’s chance of a first-ever European campaign owing to his involvement with Ligue 1 side Lyon, but is ready to offload his stake to his fellow co-owners in order to bring the saga to an end.
UEFA does not allow clubs with the same ownership to compete in the same European competitions in a season.
As well as his stake in Palace, the 59-year-old has a controlling stake in the French club, also via Eagle Football.
However it is also reported that the European governing body does not consider Textor’s influence at Selhurst Park to be decisive and is leaning towards allowing the club into the Europa League regardless.
The PA news agency understands no formal decision is likely on Palace’s fate until the end of June.
Textor has previously spoken of his frustration at how little influence his stake entitles him to, over football matters.
Victory for Oliver Glasner’s side over Manchester City in last month’s FA Cup final gave them their first major trophy and with it a first crack at Europe.
However, Nottingham Forest have since written to UEFA to challenge Palace’s Europa League spot and in the hope of taking their place.
Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also owns Greek side Olympiacos, placed his shares in the club in a blind trust before the governing body’s March 1 deadline, anticipating Nuno Espirito Santo’s side’s European qualification.
At present Forest, who finished seventh in last season’s Premier League, are set to enter the Conference League but would take Palace’s Europa League place, should they be deemed ineligible.
