Patrick Vieira has said that Chris Richards will be "an important asset" for the football club, following his move from Bayern Munich.
The 22-year-old USA international centre-back recently put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the Eagles, joining from German champions Bayern Munich, with whom he made his senior debut aged 18. The young defender has played a total of 82 professional matches, playing for Bayern in the Bundesliga and Champions League before joining 1899 Hoffenheim on loan in 2021.
He came off the bench to make his Palace debut in a pre-season friendly against Montpellier yesterday (Saturday) at Selhurst Park, with Richards playing 15 minutes as the Eagles ran out 4-2 in their final game before the new Premier League campaign begins with the visit of Arsenal to south London on Friday.
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And Vieira has given his verdict on what he has seen from the defender since joining the club, with the Frenchman confident that Richards will prove to be a key player for Palace in the months and years to come.
“It was really good to give him his first 15 minutes. He’s a solid defender who loves to defend, especially in a one-v-one situation. He’s really comfortable with the ball," Vieira said after the game.
“He needs time, of course, to get used to what we are doing and how we want to play. He’s an important asset for the football club.”
Meanwhile, Palace chairman Steve Parish has described Richards as a "hugely talented young player" who brings a lot of experience at a high level for his age, adding that he feels he is a great fit for the club and will become a firm fans' favourite.
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