Liverpool are reportedly ‘keen’ on trumping Chelsea in the race to sign Crystal Palace star Maxence Lacroix, as per TEAMtalk.
Since moving to Selhurst Park from German side Wolfsburg a couple of years ago, the 25-year-old has established himself as an undisputed starter.
In his debut campaign, the defender helped his side win the FA Cup by defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the final. This was the club’s first major trophy in their history.
This season, he has continued to showcase his qualities, scoring three goals and registering two assists in 43 appearances across all competitions. Moreover, he has helped his side keep 17 clean sheets.
Lacroix has even guided the Eagles to reach the quarter-final of the Conference League, and they are set to face Fiorentina next month. Following Marc Guehi’s move to Manchester City in January, Lacroix has become the mainstay of Crystal Palace’s defence alongside Chris Richards.
Having proven his worth in the Premier League, Lacroix has even secured his place in Didier Deschamps’ French national team.
Now, TEAMtalk claim that with Ibrahima Konate set to leave as a free agent this summer, Liverpool are exploring the possibility of signing a new centre-back to replace the former RB Leipzig.
Battle
The Reds are ‘keen’ on signing Lacroix after monitoring his performances closely. However, Chelsea and Aston Villa are also in this race and have been following his performances before making a potential summer swoop.
With the player’s existing deal set to run until 2029, Crystal Palace are in a strong position to demand a big fee if they are forced to cash-in on him, and he doesn’t have a release clause in his current contract.
Lacroix, standing at 6ft 3in tall, is quick, strong, good in the air, comfortable playing out from the back, and efficient in defensive contributions. He, valued at around £35m by Transfermarkt, is a Premier League-proven player and would be a great coup for Chelsea or Liverpool should either club purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the West London club or the Merseyside club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services during the offseason.
