Chelsea have been linked with a transfer bid for a proven Premier League defender - but will he move to Stamford Bridge this summer?
Chelsea seldom sit still in the summer transfer window, and 2026’s probably won’t prove to be an exception. There are plenty of deals in the offing as the Blues look to bounce back from yet another disappointing season, and adapt to the needs of yet another new manager – and perhaps the most impactful of all the deals they’re likely to do could see them sign one of the Premier League’s best defenders from the past season.
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Maxence Lacroix was superb across the 2025/26 campaign and statistically among the very finest defenders in the top flight. France head coach Didier Deschamps evidently agreed with the data and made him a member of his World Cup side – and he could soon be added to Chelsea’s squad too, according to new reports. But just how likely is it that a deal gets done, and how much better might Lacroix make Chelsea?
Will Chelsea sign Maxence Lacroix this summer?
Maxence Lacroix cost Crystal Palace £18m in 2024placeholder image
Maxence Lacroix cost Crystal Palace £18m in 2024 | Getty Images
While it’s not the first time that Chelsea have been linked with Lacroix in recent months, The Athletic added their voice to the rumours on Tuesday when they reported that the Blues were keen on striking a deal for the Crystal Palace and France centre-back this summer.
The 26-year-old centre-back is older than most players that Chelsea target – he would become the oldest player signed by the club since the current owners’ first year in charge – but they have been monitoring him for months and seem to be heading into the summer with a more open mind about purchasing more experienced and proven players.
It won’t be an easy deal to get over the line. Lacroix is under contract until 2029 and Palace are not a side who let go of their most valuable assets for a cut price – as they demonstrated in the case of Marc Guéhi, they would rather keep a player than let them leave for a fee that was below their asking price. They are a club that understand that they are a selling side despite recent successes in cup competitions, but they won’t be bullied.
Exactly what Chelsea might have to pay to twist their arm isn’t yet clear. French outlet RMC Sport suggested a price tag of €40m (around £35m) but that seems like a distinctly low estimate and Palace’s actual valuation may be far higher given his importance to the team and his growing stature within the game.
Another barrier could be interest from other sides. Real Madrid, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been linked with a bid for Lacroix, albeit largely by the kind of gossip columnists that don’t always get their facts straight. The Athletic don’t mention any potential competition, but it’s hard to imagine that Chelsea are the only side who have been paying attention to his performances over the past season.
The Athletic further suggest that Palace wouldn’t sell until they’ve found a suitable replacement – the very same reason that they pulled the plug on Guéhi’s move to Liverpool nearly a year ago – and that suggests that any progress towards a deal is likely to be slow. Chelsea won’t get this deal done any time soon, if at all, but would it be worth it if they can get it over the line?
Why Lacroix could make Chelsea a far better side next season
Lacroix made his France debut against Brazil in Marchplaceholder image
Lacroix made his France debut against Brazil in March | Getty Images
While far from Chelsea’s only weakness last season, there’s certainly room for improvement at the back – the 52 goals that they conceded was nearly twice as many as eventual champions Arsenal, for instance. If they want to push for the top four again, they will have to tighten up.
The return of Levi Colwill from long-term injury may well help but their other centre-halves have been inconsistent: Wesley Fofana is a fine technician but lacks discipline, Josh Acheampong shows his inexperience a little too often, and Tosin Adarabioyo has the skill but lacks pace. Only Trevoh Chalobah has been entirely convincing, and his future is up in the air amid reported enquiries from other Premier League sides.
Even if Chalobah stays, signing Lacroix would surely upgrade Chelsea’s back line. Clocked as the fastest defender in the top flight last season, he’s also got a superb positioning sense – as his enormous average of 7.2 clearances per game suggests – and is a fine technician who seldom gets beaten in one-on-one situations whether he’s the one making a tackle or attempting to dribble around it.
Xabi Alonso will expect his defenders to have the technical qualities required to give his side a strong base for possession and a springboard for counter-attacks, and Lacroix is exceptional in that regard, as well as having all of the defensive fundamentals that could be asked for. By most key statistical measures, he was among the league’s best in 2025/26.
Chelsea probably do have bigger priorities, admittedly. They will likely need to replace Marc Cucurella and probably Enzo Fernández, who seems set to follow Cucurella to Real Madrid at some point this summer, and need to find another forward to help out João Pedro. Another season of Fofana and the occasional frustrating red card wouldn’t be so bad compared to failing to fill any of those holes.
But there is certainly room to strengthen a back line that’s leakier than it looks like it should be on paper, and Lacroix may be among the best on the market – if indeed he is available for sale at all. Crystal Palace won’t let him go without a fight, and it’s up to Chelsea as to whether they’re willing to throw the kind of money required at a player who’s become one of the best in the division.
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