Jairo Riedewald initially struggled to find a new club following his release from Crystal Palace at the end of last season.
It did not seem as if clubs were falling over themselves to snap up the Dutchman after seven relatively quiet years at Selhurst Park – given the lack of reports – although the Crystal Palace fan favourite has finally found a new side.
Upon hearing the news, Bayern Munich’s new No.17 Michael Olise sent Jairo Riedewald a message on Instagram…
Michael Olise reacts as Jairo Riedewald joins Royal Antwerp
The Netherlands international has now signed a one-year contract with Royal Antwerp.
After hearing where Riedewald had moved to, Olise wrote “congrats brother ❤️❤️❤️” on Instagram, clearly pleased to see that his friend has finally found a new home.
It was – admittedly – a surprise to see the Dutchman spend so much of this summer as a free agent, as he rarely let Crystal Palace down when called upon, and is a very underrated footballer.
Riedewald was linked with a move back to the Netherlands with FC Twente shortly after his release from Crystal Palace, but aside from that rumour, hardly any transfer interest was shown in the man from Haarlem.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old is now settled in Belgian, where he can hopefully become a regular starter and help Royal Antwerp return to the UEFA Champions League.
Riedewald made 96 appearances for Crystal Palace in total, scoring three goals while also providing one assist.
James Tomkins yet to find new club after leaving Crystal Palace
While Riedewald’s future is now resolved, James Tomkins has not yet found a new club after his contract with Crystal Palace expired.
The central defender is now 35 years of age, although he is surely capable of doing a fine job in Major League Soccer or even in the Championship, given his vast experience.
Nathan Ferguson was the other player to be released last season, and the 23-year-old also remains a free agent after injuries limited him to just one appearance in four years at Crystal Palace.
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Hopefully, both Tomkins and Ferguson can find new clubs soon, as they both still have plenty to offer in their own right.
