Forest sign Richards from Bayern Munich as Premier League prep continues

Nottingham Forest’s preparations for a first season back in Premier League have continued with the signing of full-back Omar Richards from Bayern Munich.

The upcoming campaign will see Forest competing in the top flight for the first time since getting relegated in 1999 – since then, they have also spent three years in the third tier.

It seems they are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to avoid dropping straight back down to the Championship next year, with Richards’ reported £10million (€11.8m) signing taking them up to £46m spent already – only eight Premier League clubs have paid more in this window.

Richards becomes their fifth signing ahead of the new with, with Forest having already brought in Taiwo Awoniyi, Moussa Niakhate, Giulian Biancone and Dean Henderson, who joined on loan.

Former England Under-21 international Richards only joined Bayern last year, signing on a free transfer after his Reading contract expired.

The London-born left-back made 17 appearances in all competitions as Die Roten won the Bundesliga, but he is back in England and set for a first opportunity in the Premier League, signing a four-year contract.

He is the third new Forest signing to have come from the Bundesliga after Awoniyi and Niakhate, who joined from Union Berlin and Mainz respectively.