Prior to signing for Palace on a one year contract, Davids, 37, was without a club for two years after leaving Ajax in 2008.

The Dutch giants signed him from Tottenham Hotspur in 2007, 17 years after giving him his professional debut as an 18-year old in 1991.

He went on to make over 100 appearances, won a Champions League medal, three Eredivise titles, one UEFA Cup winners medal, one Super Cup winners medal and one Intercontiental Cup winners medal in his first spell with Ajax before moving to Italy in 1996 to sign for AC Milan.

But the move to the Rossoneri failed to provide much in the way of first team opportunities, and after just 15 appearances he signed for Serie A rivals Juventus in 1997.

It was here that Davids established himself as one the world's best holding midfielders, and helped The Old Lady to three Serie A titles and two more Champions League appearances.

He left in 2004 after 135 appearances to move to Internazionale, with a short loan spell with Barcelona preceding his move to back to Milan.

He spent half of the 2003/04 season with the Catalan giants making 18 appearances and scoring once, but he couldn't agree on a permanent deal so accepted a three year contract with Inter in the summer.

But, much like his move to their rivals AC Milan earlier in his career, Davids struggled to establish himself in the side in his first season and he was allowed a move to Tottenham Hotspurs at the end of 2004/05 season.

In two years at White Hart Lane he made 40 league appearances before moving back to Ajax in January 2007.

Throughout his career, Davids was also a key figure in Holland's international set up and earned 74 caps, played in three European Championships and one World Cup.