Chris Richards: Bayern's other MLS teen signing

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Jul 25, 2018

While Alphonso Davies has to wait until January to get a chance to play for Bayern Munich, 19-year-old Alabaman Chris Richards made his first appearance for the German champions last Saturday in their 3-1 win over Paris St. Germain in an International Champions Cup friendly played in Austria.

That's quite a jump for a player who two years ago was playing youth soccer for the Hoover Phantoms back in his native Alabama.

He first moved to the Texans SC Houston -- the 2017 Development Academy U-18/19 champions -- then FC Dallas' academy program, where he spent the 2018-19 DA season. He signed a Homegrown contract with FC Dallas in April and was two weeks ago loaned to Bayern Munich through the end of the year as part of the partnership signed by the two clubs this year.

Midfielder Thomas Roberts and Richards had traveled to Germany in April and trained with Bayern youth teams. Roberts, 17, was signed to a Homegrown contract Wednesday. The Little Rock, Arkansas, native became FCD's 23rd homegrown signing.

Richards came on the second half of Bayern's win over PSG and was on the game-day roster for Wednesday's friendly against Juventus in Philadelphia.