Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in extending Richards' stay, but is that the best move for the USMNT centerback?
There's no debating or denying it anymore: Chris Richards is a very good centerback. He's not potentially good – he's the genuine article. The 25-year-old defender has spent the last six months or so proving that with both the U.S. men's national team and Crystal Palace.
And to his credit, he's proven so quite effectively for both, whether that's in the Premier League, the FA Cup (which he won last season), the Gold Cup, or beyond. So now, with the World Cup knocking and bigger opportunities seemingly on the horizon, is this Richards' level, one he can maintain for the rest of his career? Or could there be something more?
Crystal Palace are betting that the answer to that last question is "yes". According to Football Insider, the club is hoping to tie Richards down to a new contract, one that he's fully earned based on his play over the last few months. While it would certainly include a deserved pay raise, the American will no doubt have to dissect what extending with Palace would mean for his future.
Having watched teammate Marc Guehi nearly become a Liverpool player in a failed deadline day transfer, Richards could certainly be wondering if he, too, could make a similar leap. And he might be wondering about the timing.
He only has to look at another USMNT player, star left back Antonee Robinson, who perhaps bided his time a bit too long in waiting to leave Fulham for a megaclub. Former Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha weighed in on the comparison, suggesting both U.S. defenders could benefit from testing themselves in the Champions League.
"With Chris as well, playing in that back three for Palace, that's one of the best back threes in the Premier League… Defensively, very, very solid," Onuoha told GOAL in August. "He understands his role in his club perfectly, which is where I think he deserves a ton of credit. And I think for the two of them, the only thing that's sort of missing from them, I think, is a different sort of test.
"Because of the two clubs that they play for, there is a level of expectation, but it's more of a tamed one. So it'd be interesting to see if they ever make a step up to a team and, say, push for the Champions League, one that, like almost expects to be winning trophies every year. How would that affect their performance?"
So what's next for Richards? It's worth examining, particularly as he continues his rise as one of the Premier League's most steady defenders.
Getty Images SportGrowing into his game
The change really started last year. Palace assistant Paddy McCarthy pulled Richards aside. The American defender, in his eyes, wasn't as good as he could be.
"He asked me, 'What do you want to do?'" Richards told GOAL this summer. "He was like, 'Do you want to captain your country? Do you want to play in the World Cup or do you just want to be a guy on a roster?' No, I want more. But he said that I need to prove it. He fully believed in me. 'Do you just want to be a guy that plays every few games, or do you want to be a captain?' I want to be captain, and he said, 'Well, show me'.
"It hurt, but it was something I had to learn. I'm glad I had that conversation because I don't think I'd be where I'm at now if we didn't. I don't know where I'd be right now."
Palace are thankful Richards is where he is, of course. He was a key part of the club's FA Cup run last year, helping the club win its first major trophy. He was then steady as can be in the Community Shield, helping Palace top Liverpool to bring home even more silverware. And now, to start the Premier League season, he's been one of England's best in these early weeks, helping Palace to a hot start.
The eye test shows how good Richards has been. So, too, have the stats.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe numbers
As a defender, there's one real stat that matters: clean sheets. The job, ultimately, is to prevent goals. In just nine games across all competitions, Richards and Palace haven't allowed the other team to score in five.
Among the victims? Chelsea and Aston Villa – and, if you want to get technical, you could include Japan, too, from Richards' September run in a USMNT shirt. There was a clean sheet against Fredikstad, too, to help Palace seal a spot in the Europa Conference League.
In terms of individual statistics, it's easy to see where Richards shines: swatting away attacks. Per FBRef, he's in the 96th percentile in blocks, 91st in tackles, 77th in clearances, and 75th in aerials won. That paints the picture of a no-nonsense centerback, one who does the right things defensively as one of the outside defenders in Palace's back three.
There is some attacking presence, too. Richards scored a pair of big goals for the USMNT this summer, netting from a set piece against Saudi Arabia before then scoring in the Gold Cup finale defeat to Mexico. He scored another for Palace, helping his side to a 1-1 Carabao Cup draw and eventual shootout win over Millwall in the competition's third round.
After scoring just one goal in each of the last two seasons, Richards has one before October has hit and, if his set-piece prowess is any indication, he might get a few more this season, too. Palace, in particular, have become one of the Premier League's best at attacking set pieces. Richards is a part of that.
"Sometimes," Richards told GOAL this summer, "you just have to blow someone up and say 'F*ck it'.
With that mentality apparent each time he takes the field, Richards has become a mainstay for Palace, and they hope to keep it that way.
Getty Images SportContract speculation
With Guehi's exit seemingly imminent as he nears the end of his deal, Palace's plan is simple: keep Richards. With the club making a European charge, currently in fifth place and hoping for a chance at more continental soccer, Palace know they need to find a way to keep their best players if they are to improve. Richards, meanwhile, is one of their best players likely to stay if Palace act.
Richards' deal runs through 2027, but Palace, more than anyone perhaps, know how hard it is to keep players, particularly nearing the end of deals. Guehi nearly joining Liverpool this summer before Palace reportedly blocked the move.
The club has already lost stars like Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in recent years, and losing any others will threaten to derail the progress they made leading up to that FA Cup crown.
What's best for Palace, though, isn't always what's best for the player. Guehi's ambitions were shot down, of course, as he was prevented from joining the Premier League title favorites. Palace aren't going to be in that conversation soon, and after seeing Guehi get that type of attention, could Richards – the same age as the England defender – command similar interest?
There haven't been any transfer talk circulating yet, but if it does before Richards puts pen to paper, it would hypothetically give him a lot to think about. His longtime international teammate, Robinson, for example, likely missed his chance at a bigger move by committing his future to Fulham for one too many windows.
Now 28, that move seems less likely, which may not be a bad thing, but it is something that does command a "what if?" Richards, too, may be a player capable of playing at a higher level. It's something he'll have to mull over if he continues to show his worth with Palace in the Premier League.
Getty ImagesThe USMNT angle
At the moment, there's no doubting Richards' USMNT place. Whether it's in a back two or a back three, Richards is likely the only locked-in central defender on the road to 2026. He earned that right this past summer when he stepped into a leadership role in a way he hadn't prior to that Gold Cup run.
"Honestly, I'm just me," Richards told GOAL this summer. "It's not something where I have to step out of myself and do extra. I'm myself, but just a little bit more vocal. I've also gotten to a point where I can just be a leader and be more vocal rather than letting a captain do it. There can be three or four captains on the field. That's what makes a great team – more than one guy stepping up to the plate.
"I understand I'm a leader, and I want to act like it. Regardless of who's on the team at the World Cup next year, I still want to be that person. I came into this summer with the confidence to say, 'Man, I'm doing my own f*cking thing and I’m going to be me'. Like, I'm going to earn my spot, but I'm also going to try and be captain or whatever the case may be."
Captain or not, Richards is an integral part of the USMNT. He's one of the few locked-in starters, and given his age and development, there's reason to believe that there's still plenty of room to get even better. If he does, though, it'll force him into some tough decisions regarding the next phase of his career.
