By Freddie Jennings
BEN Chilwell’s return to Crystal Palace on deadline day was probably one of the more understated transfers of the window, but as far as the South Londoners were concerned, it might be the most important.
The former Chelsea and Leicester City defender was one of eleven signings that Pierre Sage and Steve Parish completed over the summer.
Other signings may have been regarded as more necessary and pressing due to the sales of Maxence Lacroix and Daniel Munoz. To replace the Frenchman, three centre-backs arrived in Axel Disasi, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Honest Ahanor, a young defender who particularly impressed in the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Championship side Middlesbrough.
Oscar Mingueza also arrived from Celta Vigo. He can play in different defensive positions. The Colombian wing-back Munoz was directly replaced by Israeli Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise for £20million.
Palace signed attackers Dwight McNeil, Zavier Gozo and Dario Osorio yet it was the signing of Chilwell from French club Strasbourg which might well be the most impactful.
It was the English wing-back who made the biggest impact in the Eagles’ victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage last weekend, as he contributed with a match-winning volley to down the West Londoners for the side’s first three points of the season. The finish was reminiscent of an attacker in a rich vein of form and demonstrated a moment of immense composure that the game itself was otherwise lacking.
Yet in truth, Chilwell wasn’t re-signed to convert clinical finishes from difficult angles, but instead to instil a sense of leadership that helped Palace win the FA Cup in 2025. The key ingredient that Chilwell contributed on that cup run was experience and leadership, something that manager Sage will hope he can bring again.
The new signings will need time to integrate into this team and into this intense league, which Chilwell will be able to help with. The player turnover has been an evident challenge based off early fixtures yet this is a transition that his experience can help with.
Chilwell made nearly 100 appearances and helped Leicester into Europe while making the left-back position his own as a successor to a position previously occupied by Austrian Christian Fuchs.
His greatest day came at Chelsea when he helped the club on their path to win a second Champions League title as he played a key part of their campaign which culminated in glory in Porto as the Blues beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City 1-0.
Chelsea fans to this day still wax lyrical about their left-back’s importance to the team and his performances garnered England recognition. He has played 21 times for England.
Previous managers such as Thomas Tuchel, Brendan Rodgers and Gareth Southgate have all cited Chilwell’s in-game knowhow and experience as a key asset to his output and that was probably what convinced Oliver Glasner to sign him from the Blues in January 2025. Although Chilwell only made eight appearances for the club until the end of the season, the cameos he did make were important for the team’s success, most notably in an impressive display in a 3-1 win against Millwall in the fifth round of the FA Cup. His only goal came in the last home match of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers when his second-half free kick took a deflection off the opposition’s wall in a 4-2 triumph.
However, his importance extended beyond merely just appearances and goals. One of the main reasons the Eagles went on to achieve such a momentous victory over Manchester City at Wembley was due to a winning mentality and ethos that was instilled within the team from an early point, something which Chilwell was able to expand on after he joined for the second half of the campaign. The cover he provided at left-back also applied some pressure on Tyrick Mitchell, who was experiencing a dip in form around the time of Chilwell’s arrival, something which may have pushed the academy graduate to greater heights which included impressive displays at Wembley.
Even if the new man isn’t an instant starter and once again has to settle for a place on the bench behind Mitchell this time around, Chilwell’s influence will be felt throughout the whole squad. In 2026 alone Palace lost important leadership, starting in January with the sale of Marc Guehi to City and then this summer with Lacroix leaving for Xavi Alonso’s Chelsea.
A void of voices and authority within a squad largely inexperienced in the Premier League needs to be filled and Chilwell can fill it. Sage certainly seems convinced. He said: “He knows the club and the city and I know him. I like the player, I like the guy. He will give us experience, a really good player who can play in two positions – centre-back and wing-back. He will give us a lot of confidence because he is a happy guy.”
Such versatility and experience will be needed as Palace look to push on all fronts, having already qualified for the last sixteen of the Carabao Cup, with Chilwell providing an inch-perfect delivery for Jorgen Strand Larsen’s second against Middlesbrough.
Further match-defining moments will certainly help as Palace compete in four competitions throughout the season. During the course of the campaign the calm and cool-headed nature of Chilwell may count for a more lot.
