Chris Richards will move on loan to TSG Hoffenheim

Chris Richards has been touted as one of Bayern Munich’s brightest young players in recent times. And at the start of the season, it looked like the American might break into Bayern’s first team after he had a couple appearances for the seniors. However, in the past few months, Richards has rarely been used by Hansi Flick. Therefore, now, TSG Hoffenheim are set to sign Richards on loan.

This news comes courtesy of Sky Germany and reporter Max Bielefeld:

According to Bielefeld, Richards has already said goodbye to some of his teammates and wasn’t in Bayern’s latest training session although the “last details (are) still to be negotiated between the clubs.”

This transfer makes sense for a number of reasons. Firstly, Richards will be able to experience valuable playing time at the high level of the Bundesliga. Furthermore, Richards path to first team football was just unrealistic in his two favoured positions — with a number of players above him in the pecking order at right-back and centre-back.

All in all, this seems like a good move to a team that plays a similar football philosophy to that of Bayern Munich, at a high level and under a coach who has already worked with Richards before. Hopefully Richards is able to improve as a player during his loan spell and establish himself as a starting contender for when he returns to Munich.

Update [8:10AM EST]

Sport1’s Florian Plettenberg has confirmed Bielefeld’s report and has also added that there is no “option-to-buy” clause attached to this loan agreement: