Jairo Riedewald doesn't know much about Crystal Palace... except Selhurst Park atmosphere

New signing: Riedewald has joined Palace from Ajax
AFP/Getty Images
James Benge25 July 2017

Jairo Riedewald may not be too familiar with his new team but even in Holland he has heard about the famed atmosphere Crystal Palace fans generate at Selhurst Park.

Riedewald completed an £8million move from Ajax on Monday that will reunite him with Eagles boss Frank de Boer, the manager who first gave him his debut at the age of 17.

“He called me a couple of weeks ago and convinced me to come to this club,” Riedewald told the club website. “I’m very happy with my choice and happy to be here with my trainer.

Great expectations will be placed on the Dutch international, who will be tasked with adding solidity to a defence that struggled before the mid-season loan arrival of Mamadou Sakho, who has returned to Liverpool.

And while Riedewald may not be too familiar with Palace at the moment he is eager to learn more.

“I’m very pleased to be here. It’s a nice club, nice accommodation. I’ve been in London for a week now, it feels good.

“As a football team [I don’t know] that much so I hope when I’m here I can learn more about the club, the history and the players. If I meet my new team-mates I can talk to them and find out more about the football club.

Frank de Boer aims for Premier League stability with Palace

“I heard the fans are good and the atmosphere in the stadium is great.”

A product of the Ajax youth academy Riedewald will bring a composure on the ball that has at times been lacking in Palace’s defence and that should also make him an easy fit if De Boer continues with the 3-4-3 he has been experimenting with in pre-season.

He explained: “My style of play… I like to play forward with the ball at my feet. I like to pass short and long. Sometimes I like to dribble and go forward into the midfield. That’s my power, to have the ball on my feet and let the game go.

“I’m looking forward to [teaming up with Yohan Cabaye and Wilfried Zaha]. I like to pass, I like to play combinations and the players you’ve got, they’re great.”

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