Crystal Palace star labelled ‘a machine’ as boss pays tribute to player he sold for £7m.
If anyone sums up Crystal Palace’s season so far in the Premier League, it’s arguably their £7 million man.
Despite winning only two out of 15 games, and starting the weekend one place above the relegation zone, Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace have not been anywhere near as bad as the results would suggest.
The Eagles took points off Manchester United and Chelsea, beat Tottenham Hotspur, and only lost by one goal against Liverpool.
But with many of their stand-out players falling below the sky-high standards they set during Glasner’s wondrous first few months at Selhurst Park – see Daniel Munoz, for instance – games that Palace might have got something out of turned into narrow defeats or frustrating draws.
A £7 million signing from KRC Genk back in January 2024, Munoz made such an impact early on. But as he struggled to replicate last season’s best in the season’s opening stanza, so did Crystal Palace.
Now, however, with their rampaging right-back getting back to his full-blooded best, Palace too appear to be on the up; the fates of player and club seemingly intertwined.
Daniel Munoz of Crystal Palace celebrates after scoring opening goal during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Manchester City …
Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
Genk director pays tribute to Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz
Munoz crashed in a dramatic stoppage time equaliser against Newcastle United, Glasner racing down the touchline like Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford all those years ago.
You wait 10 months for a Premier League goal and then two come along at once. Munoz opened the scoring as Pep Guardiola was left frustrated by Crystal Palace in an enthralling 2-2 draw with Manchester City last time out, firing past Stefan Ortega to leave Dimitri de Conde feeling a little emotional.
Genk’s technical director, speaking to RTBF, admits that Munoz was not usually the type of player Genk would look to sign; more aggression and intensity than technique and guile. But, with the all-action Colombian becoming a bonafide fans’ favourite in Belgium before his move to England, it’s clear that De Conde and Munoz built up a huge amount of respect for each other.
Respect that still exists to this day.
“He wasn’t really the right fit for Genk,” De Conde explains. “But he’s a physical beast. What a machine!
“I am, first and foremost, passionate about human relationships. If I had to just make transfers, I wouldn’t have the same pleasure. I always stay connected to the players I’ve had.
“I received a text message from Daniel Munoz inviting me to London. And, the next day, he scored a goal against City and dedicated it to me!
“What I like is helping players develop the career they dream of. You know, I’ve had ups and downs in my career. I experienced three failures as a player and I often felt alone. I don’t want my players to experience the same holes.
“I want to protect them and help them.”
Munoz is missing Michael Olise at Selhurst Park
Munoz formed an outstanding partnership with Michael Olise last season.
Following the Frenchman’s £50 million switch to Bayern Munich, however, he had initially struggled to exert the same influence. It was Olise’s tendency to drift infield, after all, that gave Munoz the space he needed to burst forwards on the overlap.
The hope is that, if Crystal Palace sign a bonafide Olise replacement in 2025, Munoz will start producing consistently again.
