Crystal Palace could save £1.82m on their wage bill if Walter Benitez leaves just a year after joining, with the Argentine reportedly interested in a return to OGC Nice, according to reports in France.
Crystal Palace Could Lose Experienced Goalkeeper
Benitez Set to Terminate Palace Contract after a Year
Benitez joined Crystal Palace on a free transfer from PSV Eindhoven in July 2025 but has since made just eight appearances across all competitions, including only one in the Premier League.
Despite his limited involvement, the experienced goalkeeper remains one of Crystal Palace’s higher earners, reportedly earning nearly £2 million per year. Benitez is understood to be willing to accept a wage cut in order to secure a return to the French club, with his Palace contract not expiring until 2028.
The 33-year-old made 188 appearances for Nice across six years between 2016 and 2022, including 10 Europa League appearances during his time with the French club.
Benitez’s Limited Game Time at Palace
Walter Benitez struggled for game time at Crystal Palace and played the role of Dean Henderson’s understudy for much of the season.
The Argentinian made just a singular appearance in the Premier League in which he kept a clean sheet as the Eagles played out a goalless draw with Leeds.
Benitez continued between the sticks as Palace secured their place in the Conference League quarter-finals, playing the full 120 minutes as the Eagles eventually overcame Cypriot side AEK Larnaca. It proved to be the goalkeeper’s final appearance for the club, coming in mid-March.
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The goalkeeper also started in Palace’s FA Cup third-round defeat to Macclesfield, which was regarded as one of the greatest upsets in the competition’s history. The result also marked the worst defence of the trophy, with the Eagles suffering defeat to a side five divisions below them.
Without doubt, the Argentinian’s finest moments for the club came in the Carabao Cup, with two penalty saves against rivals Millwall on his debut for the club. Benitez then backed his heroics up with a clean sheet at Anfield as Palace comfortably put aside Liverpool.
Benitez carried on his cup form with a Man of the Match display at the Emirates making seven saves as the Eagles were cruelly knocked out on penalties in the quarter finals.
Despite his limited involvement, Benitez will look back on his first year in England with two major honours, with the Community Shield and Conference League added to his trophy cabinet. However, after missing out on Argentina’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, the goalkeeper will be desperate for more regular game time next season.
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Return to France for Nice Hero
Benitez is held in high regard in France after an excellent six season stint with OGC Nice as well as captaining the side regularly in his 188 game spell.
The keeper was part of the strongest defence in Ligue 1 in the 2021/22 season, conceding just 35 goals in his 37 appearances with Nice qualifying for the Europa League.
A return to Nice could provide Benitez with the game time that he is looking for as he looks to compete at the highest level and return to contention for Argentina.
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