Chelsea have taken the first big step towards a major renovation for next season by appointing Xabi Alonso as their manager. After parting with two managers this season and five in four years, the club should be looking for some stability.
Presumably, the next step will be to bring in reinforcements according to the needs of the team and the ideas of the new manager.
Alonso is expected to have a say on all transfer matters, which is why he has been handed the ‘manager’ title. One would hope that means recruitment will improve drastically.
Chelsea’s defensive problems
More than anything else, the Blues must look forward to making some effective changes to their defensive lineup. Levi Colwill’s injury during pre-season left their defence shaky from left, right and centre.
With the likes of Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile expected to leave Stamford Bridge after the end of this season, the Blues need to bring in replacements of their own. They are being linked with defenders like Ousmane Diomande of Sporting CP, Murillo of Nottingham Forest, Benfica’s Tomas Araujo and several others.
How Maxcence Lacroix could be the right choice for Chelsea
Now, according to recent reports, the Blues are also keeping tabs on Crystal Palace’s centre-back Maxence Lacroix. He is currently under contract with the Eagles until the summer of 2029.
Along with the other defensive targets, Lacroix is also expected to make an immediate impact coming into the side if the Blues can get a deal done this summer. The club’s transfer stance could be now tilted towards adding more experience to this young squad.
The 26-year-old could serve that purpose quite well, after spending four years in the Bundesliga, and thereafter spending two seasons in the Premier League as an out-and-out starter for Crystal Palace. He is also a full France international now.
Lacroix’s height will also be an advantage for the Blues, not only while defending but also during set pieces in the opponents’ box. He is in the 95th percentile when it comes to aerial duels won. That is a quality which the Blues have lacked for some time now, when it comes to their starting centre-backs.
The French defender is currently one of the fastest in the Premier League as well. He had been recorded with a top speed of 35.39 km/h back in January this year against Newcastle United.
Lacroix could be great for Alonso’s system
After losing Marc Guehi to Manchester City back in January, Crystal Palace will certainly want to keep their best centre-back to themselves. But if the Blues come knocking on the door with an offer of £50 million, it could become too hard for the Eagles to resist.
With Colwill now back to full fitness, Alonso could certainly see Lacroix perfectly partnering up with the Englishman in the Blues’ back-line for the next season as they look to change things up at the Stamford Bridge.
It might even be more important if Alonso wants to play with a three-man backline, as he did so successfully at Bayer Leverkusen. So, keep an eye out for this situation over the summer window.