Patrick Vieira: Crystal Palace January window signing will be an ‘important player’ for the rest of the season

Patrick Vieira says Naouirou Ahamada will be an important player for Crystal Palace for the rest of the season.

Ahamada joined the Eagles on deadline day from German side Stuttgart in a deal in the region of £10.5million.

The 20-year-old penned a three-and-a-half-year deal at Selhurst Park.

Ahamada has featured five times off the bench under Vieira and played 29 minutes in the 1-0 defeat against Manchester City on Saturday.

“The way he came on against City was really interesting,” said Vieira of the former Juventus academy midfielder’s cameo.

“He’s getting used to the tempo of the Premier League and also to the way we want to play.

“He will be an important player for the rest of the season.

“Off the field, he is a quiet lad but always has a smile on his face.

“On the field, what I like is his transition from defence to offensive.

“He has really quick feet and he’s a player who can have a quick transition to help our offensive players.”

The Eagles head to The Amex tomorrow looking to secure their first win of 2023 and move clear of the relegation zone.

When asked if a win against their arch-rivals could help kickstart the season, Vieira said: “Maybe. But for us, it’s about the performance.

“If we perform well and we find the right balance between our offensive and defensive shape, and if we have people inside the box to take those opportunities and if we’re clinical in front of goal, that will be positive for us.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD