Even though Chadi Riad’s coming to Crystal Palace was widely anticipated, it is still very early in the club’s history.
It is a significant indication of intent early in the summer from a squad that is sometimes accused of doing the reverse, especially with Daichi Kamada set to follow.
The team may never have had as strong a depth at center defender as it does now. It already has three international players, all of whom will be playing for their respective countries this summer and have a wealth of experienced experience on hand.
The most significant change to Crystal Palace’s defense composition was the tactical switch made by Oliver Glasner. Glasner had to come up with inventive solutions to cover that hole because the current central defender depth could only be distributed across three positions, not two.
Although his choice to focus on Jefferson Lerma and Nathaniel Clyne was undoubtedly successful in getting the latter to receive a well-deserved contract extension, the club was still more interested in signing Riad or a player of that caliber.
It’s simple to see why the Moroccan international met all the requirements. Even if he might not be the perfect addition for Dougie Freedman, at age 21, he brings a ton of game experience.
With appearances in the Spanish third division for the Barcelona B team, the 24 La Liga starts are of a greater caliber than the Championship arrivals.
Apart from his obvious preference for size and quickness, Riad’s extra benefit as a left-footed defender makes him a valuable addition to the team. He would therefore be the obvious choice to take over as “Marc Guehi,” but for the time being, there is no pressure on him to start right away.
Although the newcomer’s performance as a player will be evaluated during the summer, the team as a whole must make an immediate adjustment.
Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi, and Chris Richards—Glasner’s greatest trio of central defenders on paper—haven’t yet collaborated in this system as they should. This summer, they’ll be drawing attention as well.
With two years remaining on their initial contracts, Guehi and Andersen are entering the best area for re-signing for the team, or in Guehi’s case, probably at his highest possible selling price.
Guehi’s starting position for the England team at Euro 2024 would more than outweigh any worries that his knee injury and lack of playing time to end the season would reduce his transfer worth.
Even while the club and chairman Steve Parish sincerely want to keep all of their best players, it’s obvious that the initial transfer moves made this summer are merely insurance policy against future setbacks. It’s hard to argue against that proactive goal.
