Crystal Palace have officially completed the signing of Joachim Andersen from Lyon for a reported fee worth £15 million. The Danish centre-back has signed a five-year deal with the Eagles and returns to London following his loan spell with Fulham last season.
Tottenham Hotspur were also interested in the player, but Palace have completed all the paperworks and now have their man on a permanent basis. Andersen has been capped 8 times by the Denmark national team, and appeared regularly for them in their Euro campaign.
The defender came through the ranks at the FC Twente academy and has also applied his trade in Sampdoria in Italy before making the switch to France, and ultimately, England. Andersen becomes the second central defender of the summer for Patrick Vieira to be acquired after Marc Guehi from Chelsea.
Here is what Andersen had to say to the club’s official website upon the announcement:
“I’m extremely proud to be joining Crystal Palace and to be playing in the world’s best football league.
“The management of the club and Patrick Vieira have given me very strong assurance that they know my qualities, they believe in me and want me to play an important role in the team. I have a very positive impression of Patrick from the conversations I have had with him, and I have heard nothing but great things about the manager, the club and its plans for the future.”