Bayern Munich signed American defender Chris Richards on loan from FC Dallas on Monday.
Richards, 18, will join up with the Germany champions' under-19 team this season after impressing in a 10-day trial in April.
He's the first Dallas player to be signed by Bayern since the clubs announced a partnership earlier this year.
"We are very pleased to be making this announcement so early in our partnership," said Rudolf Vidal, Bayern's president of the Americas. "FC Dallas is at the forefront of player development in the U.S., proven by the quality of their players. We look forward to continue building on this partnership with the intention of supporting the growth of soccer in the U.S."
Welcome to the #FCBayern family, @eastmamba! The future is bright! #MiaSanMia 🇺🇸
— FC Bayern US (@FCBayernUS) July 9, 2018
The @FCDallas defender joins on loan: https://t.co/RlwNL1I692 pic.twitter.com/qAA2QMq0qZ
An Alabama native, Richards joined Dallas' academy last year and has started for their under-19 team this season.
"This is a perfect opportunity for Chris," said FC Dallas President Dan Hunt. "He will have the chance to train with the best players in the world and develop skills which will make him a solid contributor to our first team."