Oliver Glasner says his contract extension talks with Crystal Palace have been pushed back, with the club stepping up their contingency planning with a list of potential successors.
Speaking in a press conference on Wednesday ahead of Palace's Conference League game with KuPS, Glasner revealed initial conversations about extending his deal which expires at the end of this season first took place in March.
However, he says Palace's busy schedule of matches - which includes a run of three games in six days - means there is not a feasible time to sit down and talk with chairman Steve Parish. Glasner insisted his focus remains on preparing for games.
Glasner has yet to communicate a decision to the club about whether he will stay on at Palace beyond the end of this season. As far as the club's bosses are concerned, talks remain ongoing with the Austrian.
But well-placed sources have told Your Site News there are increasing expectations he will let his contract lapse in the hope of moving elsewhere.
Your Site News has been told a number of top clubs in the Premier League and Europe are monitoring Glasner's availability.
"There's no time," said Glasner, when asked about his contract situation. "Believe me, I'm never thinking about my future right at the moment. It's not important right now.
"I know there are so many rumours. But I don't know how many clubs I managed in the last three months and I'm still sitting here. As soon as we will take a decision, number one, the players will hear it, and, number two, [the media] will hear it."
Explaining why talks have been delayed, he said: "We just didn't talk about it. The chairman was in the USA last week.
"We played away games at Burnley, Dublin, we had to stay one night longer there, we play [Thursday] evening and on Friday we fly to Leeds, we can't fly back so we have to stay until Sunday, and on Tuesday we go to the Emirates [to face Arsenal], so when should I talk about my contract?
"So that's why we say, let's push it backwards when we have time, so it's not between three meetings which take 10 minutes time. We want to do it in a relaxed atmosphere and at the moment there is no relaxed atmosphere. That's why we pushed it back."
Glasner added: "Everything we talk about is our games now and the January window. Do injuries affect it or not? We had an original plan, do we adjust or don't we? This is what we're talking about now, not my contract."
As with most clubs, Palace have succession plans in place should they need to change the man in charge of the football team, and it is clear that the longer Glasner's future remains uncommitted, the more Palace will have to accelerate those plans.
One source has told Your Site News the Getafe boss, Jose Bordelas, is a name on their list of possible candidates, but that has been refuted elsewhere.
Glasner's stock has risen hugely since he took over at Selhurst Park in February last year, with the team 15th in the Premier League.
He took them to 10th in his first season, secured a stunning FA Cup victory at Wembley over Manchester City, and earned Palace a European place.
The team - who also won this season's Community Shield - are currently fifth in the Premier League table.
Latest from Your Site News' James Savundra:
Crystal Palace are now actively looking in the January market for new right wing-back options in the wake of Daniel Munoz's injury.
The Colombian requires surgery on a knee problem - and he could be out for an extended period as he recovers.
Second-choice to Munoz is the experienced Nathaniel Clyne - but he is now 34 and out of contract at the end of the season.
They also have 19-year-old Rio Cardines, who made his senior debut in the Conference League this season, but remains relatively inexperienced.
Palace are therefore doing due diligence on potential options and considering whether to make a signing in the position when the transfer window reopens next month.
Munoz, 29, is himself being tracked by a number of top clubs due to his outstanding performances for Palace under Oliver Glasner.
Munoz is under contract at Palace until 2028 with the option to extend that until 2029 also existing in that deal.
