Chelsea have reached an agreement for the permanent transfer of Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix to Stamford Bridge this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Since the BlueCo takeover of Chelsea, one position that has come under heavy scrutiny at the club is the backline. In the 2023-24 season under Mauricio Pochettino, they conceded a sky-high 74 goals in all competitions and 63 in 38 Premier League games, the most the club have ever conceded in a 38-game league season.
Last season was no exception; despite high hopes following their Club World Cup win, Chelsea endured a disappointing campaign where they conceded 52 goals in the Premier League.
More than the goals, the lack of experience and quality was evident in their penchant for conceding avoidable goals and giving away chances to opponents through mistakes.
As a result, Chelsea are now showing a commitment to strengthening their backline and have already signed Italian fullback Marco Palestra from Atalanta.
The Blues have been heavily linked with Palace’s Lacroix, with Football Talk citing TEAMtalk reporting that Chelsea are making significant progress in signing the Frenchman.
It appears a deal has now been agreed, as Fabrizio Romano reports that Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Lacroix from Palace this summer.
Lacroix to Chelsea
After several negotiations that began during the World Cup campaign, the transfer expert adds that the Eagles have accepted Chelsea’s £52m fee.
The France international is set to undergo his medicals before putting pen to paper on a long contract that runs until 2032, Romano adds.
Standing at 6ft 4in, Lacroix possesses the physical attributes to thrive in the Premier League. His pace, strength and ability in one-on-one situations allow him to defend effectively whether his side employs a high defensive line or sits deeper.
Since arriving from VfL Wolfsburg in 2024, the 26-year-old has ranked among the quickest centre-backs in the Premier League. That recovery pace has played a major role in establishing him as one of the most dependable defenders in one-versus-one duels.
According to stats from Opta, he was the only centre-back in the league to win 50+ tackles (60), 200+ duels won (204) and 250+ clearances (252).
His addition would hand Xabi Alonso a reliable centre-back option that is capable of playing efficiently in a back three or back four next season.
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