Chelsea are closing in on Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix. A deal worth around £47m is taking shape, with an announcement expected after the 2026 World Cup.
According to L'Equipe via Get French Football News, Lacroix is now very likely to commit to Xabi Alonso's Chelsea, with the fee rising to €55m (£47m).
The 26-year-old joined Palace from Wolfsburg in 2024 for just €18m. Chelsea are now ready to pay roughly three times that fee. He has three years left on his Palace contract.
But the France international is ready to take the next step. Sources close to the player say he has given Chelsea a clear 'yes', and talks from the Stamford Bridge side have advanced positively this week.
Lacroix is currently representing France at the 2026 World Cup. Chelsea's hierarchy want to finalise his move before he returns, keeping the deal clean and swift.
Lacroix fits Alonso's system well. He can operate in a back four or a back three, and his ability to carry the ball from defence adds a key dimension Chelsea currently lack.
In 35 Premier League appearances last season, Lacroix averaged over seven clearances and nearly six duels won per 90 minutes. He also helped Palace keep clean sheets in two cup finals.
Those numbers helped him earn a place in France's World Cup squad. At just 26 and entering the prime years of his career, he is seen as a long-term solution alongside Levi Colwill.
On the other side of the ledger, Marc Cucurella has left for Real Madrid. Axel Disasi and Trevoh Chalobah are also available, with Alonso looking to clear out excess defensive depth.
Wesley Fofana's fitness issues have added urgency to Chelsea's search. The club want two new centre-backs this summer, depending on how many senior defenders leave.
Chelsea are also monitoring Como's Jacobo Ramon as a backup option. But Lacroix remains their clear first choice, and they are pushing hard to wrap up the deal quickly.
For Palace, it would be a major loss. But a fee above £47m would go a long way to funding their own summer plans under new manager Pierre Sage, who takes charge of a squad in transition.
