After seeing changes in the attack over the last week, Bayern Munich will be seeing a change of personnel in the defensive department of the squad this week. Matthijs de Ligt successfully completed his medical on Tuesday to seal a move to Die Roten. The arrival of de Ligt will affect the future of the fringe defenders in the squad.
Chris Richards is one of the first team defenders that is expected to leave Bavaria this summer. The 22-year-old defender has been attracting interest from multiple clubs after enjoying a productive loan spell at Hoffenheim during last season. It does look like Crystal Palace is winning the race for his signature.
According to Sky Sports, Chris Richards has a verbal agreement with Crystal Palace. The Premier League club is currently negotiating with Bayern for the transfer fee. Die Roten reportedly wants a fee close to €15 million for the young defender. It remains to be seen if they insert a first refusal or buyback clause in this deal.
Along with Crystal Palace, the likes of Southampton and Leicester City have also been linked with Richards. Meanwhile, Hoffenheim is also credited with interest regarding a permanent transfer He was also attracting interest from La Liga. Palace has acted swiftly to reach an agreement with the player and open talks with Die Roten.
Chris Richards is not with #Bayern on the US Tour. The #USMNT central defender is currently trying to finalize a transfer to Premier League side Crystal Palace. Both sides still talking per source but a deal is becoming ever more likely. 🇺🇸🔜🏴 pic.twitter.com/LjIh2srrm3
— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) July 19, 2022
Richards has spent the last 18 months on loan at Hoffenheim after getting his debut at Bayern under Hansi Flick at the start of the 2020/21 campaign. He played consistently for Hoffenheim in all competitions, which has eventually helped him to develop into a good center-back.
Chris Richards has slim chances of becoming regular at Bayern next season. Lucas Hernandez and de Ligt are likely to be the first choice center-back partnership. Meanwhile, Dayot Upamecano and Benjamin Pavard are other senior options in the heart of the defense. Richards may end up playing with the reserves teams if he stays in Bavaria next season.
A move to Crystal Palace is ideal for Richards. Patrick Viera has done a good job at Palace when it comes to getting the best out of young players. Richards will get an opportunity to play in one of the top five leagues and continue his development under Viera.
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Apart from Richards, Bouna Sarr is also likely to leave Die Roten on a permanent transfer this summer. The Senegalese defender is currently the fourth-choice right-back in the squad. Since this is a World Cup year, Sarr will be looking to get consistent playing time from August.