Bayern Munich defender Chris Richards is set to join Crystal Palace in a deal potential worth as much as £17 million while signing a five-year deal at the Premier League outfit, BILD reporter Christian Falk writes on Twitter.
If we had a penny for every time a young defender with the surname ‘Richards’ left Allianz Arena for England in search of more regular game-time this summer we’d have, erm, two pence. Which isn’t much. But it’s weird that it’s happened twice.
After Nottingham Forest paid £8 million to bring former Reading full-back Omar Richards back across the Atlantic, Crystal Palace are set to tie up a deal for his namesake.
Chris Richards, a 22-year-old USA international, verbally agreed a move to Selhurst Park recently. What’s more, he is keen on the idea of swapping the Bundesliga champions for South London (Sky Germany).
Christian Falk, a reporter renowned for his knowledge of all things going on behind the scenes at Bayern, now claims that Richards will sign a contract until the summer of 2027. The transfer fee is yet to be confirmed. But Falk believes Crystal Palace could end up paying as much as £17 million.
Chris Richards on his way to Crystal Palace
This comes after Bayern’s ever-divisive director of football, Hasan ‘Brazzo’ Salihamidzic, confirmed earlier on Tuesday that negotiations between the former Hoffenheim loanee and Palace were ongoing.
“We’re holding talks,” he tells BILD.
Richards, who was also linked with Leeds United, has already left Bayern’s pre-season training camp. He should follow Cheick Doucoure, Sam Johnstone, Malcolm Ebiowei and teenager Cormac Austin to Selhurst Park.
Doucoure and Richards, both 22, are the oldest outfield players to join Palace this summer. The club’s transformation from something of a footballing retirement home to a place where talented, up-and-coming youngsters hone their craft, has been nothing short of staggering over the last 12 months or so.
Versatile and flexible, the centre-half will provide competition for Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen. Richards can also play in both full-back roles.
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