Chelsea finalising £52m deal for Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix, set to undergo medical | OneFootball

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 contract to 2032.

The Athletic reported on 23 June that Lacroix was among Chelsea’s primary defensive targets, with three or four other players also assessed.

Chelsea also hold an interest in Como centre-back Jacobo Ramon, who enjoyed a strong first Serie A season under former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Palace are exploring replacements for Lacroix, including Augsburg’s Chrislain Matsima. Trabzonspor’s Chibuike Nwaiwu is viewed as an alternative if an agreement for Matsima cannot be reached.

Lacroix was a fixture for Palace last season, making 55 appearances in all competitions with three goals and three assists. He played the full match in the Community Shield shootout win over Liverpool in August and in the 1-0 Conference League final victory against Rayo Vallecano as Palace secured their first European trophy.

His performances earned selection for France’s 26-man World Cup squad alongside team-mate Jean-Philippe Mateta and former Palace forward Michael Olise. He featured three times, including against England in their third-place play-off defeat.

Palace signed Lacroix from Wolfsburg in August 2024 for €18million, with a potential €3m due in add-ons, and he has made 98 appearances across two seasons. Chelsea want a centre-back this summer, and the futures of Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Mamadou Sarr could hinge on a new arrival and squad pecking order.

Source: NY Times