"It is an exciting time for the football club and it's an exciting time for me," the 37-year-old said on Palace website.

"The Championship is one of the strongest leagues in the world after the Premier League.

"If you look at Serie A the league under it, Serie B, isn't as strong as the Championship. It's a very physical league, so it will be a big challenge for me. I won't be underestimating it."

Davids has been out of job since leaving Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam, the club were he began his career, in the summer of 2008.

He also played for Italian trio AC Milan, Juventus and Inter Milan, Spanish giants Barcelona and English club Tottenham Hotspur in his highly-successful career.

"Let's just have fun. I'll give it my all and see where it leads to. I can play left-back, I can play in midfield or on the left or right wings. I'll play where the team needs me," Davids added.