Chelsea are interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix this summer with the Blues looking to strengthen their centre-back options for Xabi Alonso
12:04, 23 Jun 2026Updated 12:09, 23 Jun 2026
Maxence Lacroix
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Maxence Lacroix is of interest to Chelsea this summer(Image: Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
Xabi Alonso begins his role as Chelsea manager in a little over a week's time but already the incoming manager is working, in tandem with the club's sporting leadership team, in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The Blues are yet to make a signing this summer but are planning to bring in - at the very least - two starting-level players to give Alonso a boost in time for his debut season at Stamford Bridge. A centre-back is one of the priorities for Chelsea and Maxence Lacroix of Crystal Palace has been identified as an option, according to sources.
The France international has impressed during his two seasons with the Eagles and is attracting interest this summer ahead of a possible move. Lacroix is one of numerous centre-back targets identified by the Blues, with no formal approach to Palace or the player's entourage being made at the time of writing.
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Given all the talk and debate over the formation Alonso will use when he is managing Chelsea, the fact Lacroix is a target is very interesting. Alonso of course used a three-back formation during his most successful time as a coach - to date - where he led Bayer Leverkusen to that historic, unforgettable Bundesliga triumph in 2023/24, but he switched to a four-back when taking charge of Real Madrid in a slightly less successful spell.
Lacroix is someone with immense experience when it comes to playing in a system with three central defenders. During his time with Wolfsburg, Lacroix was often being the one of the 'wide' defenders in the three due to his pace and physical attributes. After signing for Crystal Palace almost two years ago, his couple of seasons at Selhurst Park have been under Oliver Glasner, the Austrian coach who loves to play with three central defenders.
Maxence Lacroix
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Maxence Lacroix had an oustanding 2025/26 for Crystal Palace(Image: Image Photo Agency)
During his time in south London, Lacroix has almost exclusively been used as the middle centre-back. Interestingly, newly-appointed Palace boss Pierre Sage also has experience in using a three-at-the-back formation. Whether Lacroix will work with Sage next season remains to be seen.
Palace are in a strong position when it comes to Lacroix. The Frenchman still has three years left to run on his contract with the club, so any bid for the defender will have to be a hefty one for the south Londoners to even consider accepting.
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Chelsea were handed £47.4million (fixed fee, with potentially a further £4.3m in add-ons) for Marc Cucurella recently with Real Madrid signing the Spain international with such a fee surely helpful for the Blues going forward this summer. There is of course the ongoing transfer saga around Enzo Fernandez, who Los Blancos are strongly interested in.
Madrid have been informed by Chelsea, '£120m, and he's yours', but there has been no official approach just yet, sources say. Fernandez wants to depart Stamford Bridge and Chelsea will not stand in the Argentine's way if the price is right. For Alonso, the quicker the Fernandez situation is sorted out, one way or the other, the better for him to begin planning for his debut season with the Chelsea squad.