New York Jets owner Woody Johnson has submitted a bid to acquire John Textor's 43 per cent shareholding in Crystal Palace, as the club faces a looming UEFA deadline that could see them excluded from next season's Europa League.
The American businessman's offer comes as Palace urgently seeks to resolve an ownership conflict before 27 June, with UEFA regulations preventing clubs under the same ownership from competing in the same European competition.
Textor's dual ownership of Palace shares and French club Lyon, who have both qualified for the Europa League, has created the crisis that threatens to deny the Eagles their hard-earned European place following their FA Cup triumph last month.
Palace secured their Europa League qualification by winning the FA Cup in May, whilst Lyon also earned a place in the competition through their domestic campaign.
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson has submitted a bid to acquire John Textor's 43 per cent shareholding in Crystal Palace, as the club faces a looming UEFA deadline that could see them excluded from next season's Europa League
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UEFA regulations explicitly prohibit two clubs with the same ownership from participating in the same tournament, placing Palace's European adventure in jeopardy.
The 59-year-old Textor could have avoided this predicament by placing his Palace shares into a blind trust before 1 March, but failed to take this precautionary measure when the Eagles' FA Cup success still seemed unlikely.
Palace officials are now frantically attempting to persuade UEFA executives that Textor has no involvement in the club's daily operations, though this argument faces significant scepticism.
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Crystal Palace owner John Textor is looking to sell his stake in the club
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The Missouri-born Textor has been attempting to offload his Palace shares for some time, with his relationship with chairman Steve Parish reportedly deteriorating since 2023.
Parish, who owns approximately 10 per cent of the south London club after helping rescue them from administration in 2010, has seen tensions rise with his American counterpart.
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Textor previously pursued ownership of Everton last year but was ultimately unsuccessful, losing out to fellow American Dan Friedkin in that bid.
The current ownership structure sees Americans David Blitzer and Josh Harris controlling 36 per cent of Palace, whilst Textor holds the largest individual stake at 43 per cent.
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Johnson, 78, acquired the New York Jets in 2000, with the NFL franchise now valued at approximately $6.9 billion. He is close friends with US President Donald Trump.
The New Jersey native's personal fortune is estimated at around $3.4b, derived from his position as a fourth-generation descendant of one of the founders of the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical empire.
Crystal Palace qualified for Europe after winning the FA Cup this yearGettyDuring his tenure with the Jets, Johnson oversaw the franchise's relocation to the $1.6b MetLife Stadium, which will host the 2026 World Cup final.
The businessman, who served as US ambassador to the UK during Trump's first administration, has long harboured ambitions of Premier League ownership, having been linked with Chelsea in 2022.
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