Chelsea transfer news: Chelsea plot multi-player swap deal for Crystal Palace star Maxence Lacroix
Chelsea transfer news: Stamford Bridge is getting crowded. With a first-team squad bursting at the seams, Chelsea’s hierarchy has engineered an audacious, rather chaotic plan to land their top defensive target. They want Maxence Lacroix. And they are willing to throw four of their own central defenders into the mix to get him.
According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, the West Londoners have offered Crystal Palace a pick-and-mix of Trevoh Chalobah, Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, or Benoit Badiashile. It is a classic two-birds-one-stone play. Chelsea desperately need to trim a bloated wage bill. Palace want top dollar for a prized asset. By offering established Premier League players as a sweetener, Chelsea hope to drive down the cold hard cash required for the €55 million (£46 million) rated Frenchman.
It will not be an easy negotiation. Palace are financially flush. They pocketed a massive fee from Manchester City for Marc Guehi back in January. They do not need to sell. But Chelsea are pushing hard, banking on the fact that they recently turned down a £22 million bid from Serie A side Como for Chalobah, proving these disposal assets still hold genuine pedigree.
Why the Blues are obsessed with the French defender
Lacroix has just come off an absolutely stellar campaign at Selhurst Park. He was the anchor. The main man. He helped guide Palace into European football, culminating in that brilliant UEFA Conference League final win over Rayo Vallecano in May.
The underlying data explains exactly why Chelsea are desperate. The Frenchman posted elite statistical numbers across the domestic calendar, ranking third in the Premier League with a massive 252 total clearances. He pairs that raw defensive grit with a highly proactive reading of the game, racking up 45 interceptions and 38 successful tackles over the season.
Read: Marc Cucurella’s replacement – Chelsea’s inititial €9M plus add-ons bid
France national team scouts could not ignore that kind of form. He is currently out in North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, even starting in the recent 3-0 demolition of Sweden in the round of 16. The player himself is reportedly keen on a move across the capital. Nothing will happen until his international duties finish. Once that final whistle blows on France’s tournament, expect the phone lines between West and South London to get incredibly busy.
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