Chelsea are in the process of finalising a deal in the region of £52million ($69.2m) to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix.
The France international is scheduled to undergo his medical today before signing a six-year deal that will see him contracted to Chelsea until 2032.
Palace are looking at potential replacement options for Lacroix, including Augsburg’s Chrislain Matsima. Trabzonspor’s Chibuike Nwaiwu is an alternative candidate if a deal cannot be struck for Matsima.
The Athletic reported on June 23 that Lacroix was one of Chelsea’s main transfer targets, with three or four other players also being considered. The club also hold an interest in Como centre-back Jacobo Ramon, who had a successful first season in Serie A under former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Lacroix was a mainstay in Palace’s starting lineup last season, making 55 appearances in all competitions, recording three goals and three assists. He played the full game in the penalty shootout win over Liverpool in the Community Shield in August and in the 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final as Palace won their first European trophy.
The 26-year-old’s performances earned him a place in France’s 26-man World Cup squad alongside team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta and former Palace forward Michael Olise. He made three appearances in the tournament, including against England in their third-place play-off defeat.
Palace signed Lacroix from German club Wolfsburg in August 2024 for a fee of €18million, with a potential €3m due in add-ons. He has made 98 appearances across two seasons in south London.
Chelsea have been looking to add a centre-back this summer, with the futures of Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Mamadou Sarr at the club possibly depending on the arrival of a new defender and whether they are content to move down the pecking order.
