Crystal Palace have signed 26-year-old midfielder Will Hughes on a three-year deal.
Hughes arrives in south London as the sixth signing under Patrick Vieira.
Born in Surrey and raised in Derby, Hughes became a scholar with Derby County in 2011, and made his senior debut against Peterborough United aged only 16. He became a regular part of the Rams’ senior squad in 12/13, having been named Scholar of the Year the previous season, and netted his first professional goal in September 2012.
After signing a new contract, Hughes was named Football League Young Player of the Month for November and collected Derby’s Sammy Crooks Young Player of the Season award at the end of the season.
The following campaign, 2013/14, he earned a spot in the PFA Championship Team of the Year. He continued to play regularly and with success for Derby, eventually leaving the Rams for Watford with 187 appearances to his name.
Hughes made his Premier League debut with Watford in 2017 and helped the Hornets reach the FA Cup final and maintain top-flight football for three seasons. Following Watford’s relegation in 2020, Hughes played a central role in their promotion campaign the following season.
On the international stage, the midfielder has represented England at Under-17 and Under-21 level – becoming the second-youngest player to feature for the latter.
Discussing the signing, Chairman Steve Parish said: “Will has an abundance of talent and has shown it from a young age. He joins us with a wealth of experience but with years of football still ahead of him, and we hope he will greatly add to the quality of our midfield.”
Speaking with Palace TV, Hughes said: “Fans want to see players give 100% and that’s the minimum I’ll give. That’s what they can expect… [Palace are] planning for the future and it’s exciting times ahead. They’re not just planning for the here and now, which is obviously important, but they’ve got a big project going on here so it’s exciting to be part of it.”