When he got the call to join new manager Patrick Vieira's Crystal Palace revolution, Joachim Andersen knew just the man to call.
'Of course, I'm also doing my research before I am moving to a place,' centre-back Andersen said.
'I played against him with Lyon when he was at Nice so I also know what he stands for and my good friend [Denmark teammate] Kasper Dolberg was his striker [at Nice] so I talked with him about how he was and everything, what kind of training they did and so … what I expected is also what I can see now, so that was a good picture Kasper gave me of him.'
Joachim Andersen joined Crystal Palace from Lyon for a £17million fee this summer
Andersen joined Palace after impressing with Fulham last season
One of the Premier League's all-time greats and a formidable, fearsome midfielder as a player, is Vieira similar as a manager?
'Err, no, he is actually a really, really good guy,' Andersen smiled.
'I would say he is a joker. He wants to joke with the players, to be close to his players so that's a little bit different from the managers I had recently. Scott Parker was also a little bit like that but when I was in Italy and France there was, like, a distance from the manager. I like that you can talk with the manager, joke around.
'He asked me what I was doing yesterday and the other way round so to build the relationship is nice.'
Andersen, a £17m signing from Lyon, was one of the headline arrivals in a big summer of ins and outs at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira became one of the game's greatest while playing at Arsenal
Andersen, who turned 25 in May, fitted the mould of younger player Palace wanted for Vieira's new-look team.
As well as the average age, Palace's style is changing too. 'I also know Palace from different seasons under Roy Hodgson and it is a totally different way of playing,' Andersen said.
'It's a way I like to play football, from the back, aggressive in the pressure, press high, just be on the front foot and when you have the ball more, for me it is easier to defend, you feel better in the game, you feel like you are in the game. It is a big change because Palace the last couple of seasons have been more like a counter attacking team, have kind of sat back and now it is totally different.
The 25-year-old fitted the mould of younger player Palace wanted for Vieira's new-look team
The Dane says he spoke with countryman Kasper Dolberg about life under Patrick Vieira
'That's my style of football and why I came here. I want to play with the ball and use my strengths with the ball and my knowledge so of course that was the main reason I came here.'
Last week's 3-0 win against Tottenham has been the high point so far, a rousing victory against a team who, for much of the summer, led the way in the race to sign Andersen.
'It was a big, big wish for me to stay in the Premier League,' Andersen said when asked about the significant interest in him following his loan spell at Fulham last season which also came from elsewhere in the Premier League.
'And when Palace came with this project I was really hooked on the idea with Patrick coming in, new philosophy, new playing style. Bringing in some interesting players, new players, young generation.'
The 3-0 win over Tottenham last week has been a high point in Andersen's Palace career so far
And offering him the chance to play regularly too. Watching Andersen shine last season, even during a season that ended in relegation for Fulham, it was a mystery he was available, firstly on loan and then to buy this summer.
'I wanted
