Chelsea sign France defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace | OneFootball

Chelsea have announced they have signed France defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace in a deal worth £52 million. 

Lacroix has inked a six-year contract that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2032. 

The 26-year-old made 55 appearances across all competitions for Palace last season, helping his club win the Uefa Conference League. 

Lacroix was also part of France’s World Cup squad this summer. He featured in three games as the national team finished fourth after losing to England in the third place play-off. 

The centre-back is an academy product of French side Sochaux where he made 28 senior appearances before a move to VfL Wolfsburg in 2020. 

His consistent performances for Wolfsburg landed him an £18m transfer to Palace in 2024. 

Lacroix significantly enhanced his reputation as one of the best defenders during his time at the Eagles. 

He made 98 appearances across all competitions, bagging four goals and four assists in the process. 

Lacroix played a key role in Palace’s 2024-25 FA Cup triumph, starting five matches including the final 1-0 win over Manchester City. 

Chelsea have been busy in the transfer market once again. 

They splashed a British record £117 million fee to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. 

New manager Xabi Alonso is keen to add experienced players to the squad. They are on the verge of completing a double swoop for Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson. 

Stats from Transfermarkt