Chelsea have ‘sealed’ the signing of Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix, according to Italian journalist Orazio Accomando.
Ahead of Xabi Alonso’s official unveiling next month, Chelsea have stepped up their recruitment efforts in recent days as they look to bolster their squad.
Having reached a ‘verbal agreement’ to sign Marco Palestra from Atalanta, the club are pushing further to add depth to key positions in their squad.
One area of their squad that has come under much scrutiny, not just last season but over the last three seasons, is their centre-back ranks.
This has led to the club including the position among their priorities for the ongoing summer transfer window, with several targets being explored.
In recent days, Football Talk, citing Fabrizio Romano, revealed that Chelsea are in talks with Crystal Palace to sign Lacroix.
It appears an agreement has now reached its conclusion, as Italian journalist Orazio Accomando reports that Chelsea have ‘sealed’ the deal to sign Lacroix this summer.
Amid reports that Palace will demand a concrete fee for their key player, Accomando confirms that the deal has been sealed for £43m and is expected to be formally announced ‘in the coming days’.
Lacroix to Chelsea
Chelsea lacked a settled centre-back partnership throughout last season, with constant rotation in defence contributing to their inconsistency.
Although Trevoh Chalobah was the Blues’ most dependable central defender, Levi Colwill was restricted to just three Premier League appearances after suffering a cruciate ligament injury during pre-season.
Wesley Fofana missed several matches through both injury and disciplinary issues, while Tosin Adarabioyo was limited to 16 league outings because of calf and hamstring problems. Benoît Badiashile also featured in only eight Premier League games following a series of muscle injuries.
Lacroix would arrive with valuable Premier League experience, having already made 70 appearances for Crystal Palace.
He established himself as the Eagles’ first-choice centre-back during their FA Cup, Community Shield and UEFA Conference League-winning campaigns, and even after Marc Guéhi departed for Manchester City in January, he ensured Palace remained defensively solid.
The 6ft 2in Frenchman would also suit Alonso’s tactical approach perfectly, with the incoming Chelsea manager expected to alternate between a back three and a back four.
While many defenders struggle to maintain the same level across both systems, Lacroix has consistently shown he can excel regardless of the formation.
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