Crystal Palace Signs Morocco Defender Chadi Riad to 5-Year Contract 

Chadi Riad of Morocco celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 CAF qualifiers soccer match between Morocco and Congo, in Agadir, Morocco, 11 June 2024. (EPA)
Chadi Riad of Morocco celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 CAF qualifiers soccer match between Morocco and Congo, in Agadir, Morocco, 11 June 2024. (EPA)
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Crystal Palace Signs Morocco Defender Chadi Riad to 5-Year Contract 

Chadi Riad of Morocco celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 CAF qualifiers soccer match between Morocco and Congo, in Agadir, Morocco, 11 June 2024. (EPA)
Chadi Riad of Morocco celebrates after scoring the 0-2 goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 CAF qualifiers soccer match between Morocco and Congo, in Agadir, Morocco, 11 June 2024. (EPA)

Crystal Palace signed 20-year-old Chadi Riad to a five-year contract on Friday following the Morocco defender's impressive season with Real Betis.

The center-back made 30 appearances last season for the Seville club, on loan from Barcelona. He is the Premier League club's first summer arrival.

“The club has high-level players who are young and I have come here to follow their same trajectory, to grow as they have grown,” Riad, who turns 21 on Monday, said in the team's announcement.

Born in Spain, Riad made his Morocco debut in January and scored his first international goal against Republic of Congo this week.

The signing protects Palace in case center-back Marc Guehi leaves for a bigger club. Guehi is currently in the England squad at the European Championship.

Financial details of the transfer were not disclosed.



Former Brazil Coach Tite Taking Break to Take Care of Mental, Physical Health 

Flamengo's coach Tite gestures during a Copa Libertadores Group E soccer match against Colombia's Millonarios at El Campin stadium in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (AP)
Flamengo's coach Tite gestures during a Copa Libertadores Group E soccer match against Colombia's Millonarios at El Campin stadium in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (AP)
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Former Brazil Coach Tite Taking Break to Take Care of Mental, Physical Health 

Flamengo's coach Tite gestures during a Copa Libertadores Group E soccer match against Colombia's Millonarios at El Campin stadium in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (AP)
Flamengo's coach Tite gestures during a Copa Libertadores Group E soccer match against Colombia's Millonarios at El Campin stadium in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (AP)

Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.

The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalized due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.

"I realized that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger," Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi's Instagram on Tuesday.

"I'm passionate about what I do and I'll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.

"As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralyzed by a difficult but necessary decision."

Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.