Crystal Palace confirm Dougie Freedman exit as 'controversial' replacement is 'lined up' for sporting director role

After representing the Eagles as a player before managing the club between 2011 to 2012, Freedman was appointed sporting director in August 2017.

The 50-year-old has worked across all areas of the club's football operations, talent ID, player recruitment and retention for both the first team and academy, while Palace say he "has also been a valued member and contributor of the Senior Leadership Group at the club".

Freedman has built up an impressive reputation as a sporting director, recruiting the likes of captain Marc Guehi, star playmaker Eberechi Eze and midfielder Adam Wharton, as well as playing an important role in luring current head coach Oliver Glasner to Selhurst Park.

The Scotsman has previously had opportunities to leave Palace and allegedly turned down an offer from Newcastle United to replace Dan Ashworth before putting pen to paper on a new contract in May last year.

Freedman was also linked with the sporting director role at Manchester United following the arrival of minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe's, but he opted to stay put at Selhurst Park.

Freedman leaving Palace "with a squad full of exciting talent"

Now, Freedman has confirmed in a statement that he will be leaving the Eagles, with journalist Ben Jacobs claiming that he is set to join Saudi second-division side Al-Diriyah as sporting director.

"I would like to extend my thanks to Steve Parish, the other owners and to all the staff, managers and players who have been at the club during my time here," Freedman told Palace's official website. "I've thoroughly enjoyed learning from and working alongside you all.

"It's been an honour to represent the club and I am incredibly proud of the work that's been done, with the chairman's support, in growing the football club into its current position.

"To be leaving the club with a squad full of exciting talent led by an excellent manager, I truly believe the foundations are in place to be built upon.

"Finally, a huge thank you to all the fans for your continued support and passion - especially with how you've helped new signings and academy products settle into life at Selhurst Park by supporting and getting behind the team.

"Crystal Palace is and will always remain in my heart, and I will continue to look for results and follow the club's progress closely."

Chairman Steve Parish added: "Dougie has been instrumental in everything we have done over the past eight years and indeed had a huge impact before that as manager and, of course, as a player.

"I have enjoyed working with him immensely and wish him every success for the future. Dougie leaves behind an excellent and well-structured sporting department that I'm sure will continue to go from strength to strength."

Moody in the frame to controversially replace Freedman?

According to The Telegraph, former sporting director Iain Moody, who has been managing director at Sapienza Football Consulting for the last 10 years and is close to Parish, is 'in the frame for a more prominent role' at Palace following Freedman's departure.

Palace insiders say that Moody will remain in the same consultancy position, which could potential be enhanced, but a return to Selhurst Park would be deemed by some as a controversial one.

Indeed, Moody resigned from his position as Palace's sporting director after 11 months in the role between 2013 and 2014 after it was alleged that he shared racist, sexist and homophobic texts with Malky Mackay when the pair worked together at Cardiff City.

Despite his resignation from Palace, Moody has regularly been seen at Selhurst Park watching matches near Parish and has rebuilt his reputation.

In an interview with Palace fanzine Five Year Plan in 2015, Moody said: "Good people sometimes do bad things. I'm not denying it was me, but that's unrecognisable and it's not a reflection of what I stand for."

He added: "I'm the father of two young kids at the moment and it's become the most important thing in my life that there is a proper framework or behaviour and expectation for them to be good people. So there's a distortion. People get distorted, then things that people do are interpreted in a distorted way."

Crystal Palace are next in action after the international break when they travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on March 29.

Written by

Oliver Thomas