FOOTBALL
By Animesh Pandey
Posted on July 18, 2026 4:00 pm | Updated on July 18, 2026 12:26 pm Arsenal aim to secure the transfer for Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix for the upcoming season
ARSENAL
Full name: Arsenal Football Club Nickname: The Gunners Founded: October 1886 Stadium: Emirates Stadium Owner: Kroenke Sports and Entertainment Co-chairmen: Stan Kroenke, Josh Kroenke Manager: Mikel Arteta League: Premier League Season 2025/26: Champions Website: arsenal.com Arsenal football club is one… Read More about ARSENAL
Arsenal aim to secure the transfer of Maxence Lacroix, as per recent news. He might replace his French teammate William Saliba, who is currently recovering from a back injury.
Lacroix to join Arsenal by next season?
As reported by FootballInsider, Arsenal require a suitable centre-back. This is because their star defender Saliba will miss out on the starting of the 2026-27 season due to his back injury. That is why the Gunners might clash with Chelsea to secure Lacroix for the next season. Even Manchester United have shown their interest in the 25-year-old defender.
Lacroix currently plays for Crystal Palace. He joined the club in 2024. Before that, he played for VfL Wolfsburg from 2020 to 2024. He previously played for Sochaux between 2018 and 2020.
Lacroix’s stats for the 2025-26 season, as per FOTMOB:
Competitions Matches Goals Assists Duels Won Tackles Interceptions
Premier League 35 1 2 204 60 45
EFL Cup 3 0 0 12 3 3
UEFA Conference League 14 2 1 65 20 12
Will Lacroix be a good fit at Arsenal?
Lacroix will be great for Arsenal if he agrees to the deal. The Frenchman is as capable as his partner Saliba. He performed well for Crystal Palace last year . The Eagles won the Community Shield for the first time. They defeated Liverpool 3-2 on penalties.
Apart from that, they also won the UEFA Conference League. However, the same performance couldn’t be repeated at the Premier League. The Eagles finished in 15th place in the League table for the 2025-26 season. Naturally, the Eagles won’t let him out with a cheap deal. They’re demanding an asking price of approximately £50 million to £60 million. However, that is not an issue for the Gunners. They are more than ready to pay the price for securing Lacroix.
What’s next for Maxence Lacroix?
Lacroix is currently playing for France at the ongoing FIFA World Cup. He was also a part of the French team that finished runners-up in the 2022 edition. In 2026, Les Bleus made it to the semifinals for the third consecutive time since the 2018 edition. However, they lost to Spain 2-0. The French team will now compete with England for the bronze medal on July 19 [as per IST].
However, after the World Cup, Lacroix needs to work on his fitness as well as his health issues. The centre-back sustained multiple injuries in the last season. These include a muscle injury that he suffered in February 2026, and an MCL injury that he sustained in April 2026. This is not good for someone who wants to make it big in European football.
Arsenal are working on building a team that will maintain the dream run next year. Team manager Mikel Arteta doesn’t want to leave any room for error. However, the injury scare around William Saliba has left the management worried. That is the main reason why they are considering Lacroix as an alternative. He can strengthen the team’s defense to a significant extent.
Lacroix did great for Crystal Palace last year, especially at the UEFA Conference League. He also impressed everyone with his skills at the 2026 World Cup. If he joins Arsenal, he could help the team achieve new heights next year. He can also bring some relief to his counterpart William Saliba if he agrees to join Arsenal. It won’t be easy, given that Chelsea are equally interested in him. However, if Arsenal have made up their mind, Lacroix could join Emirates Stadium by the beginning of the 2026-27 season.
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Animesh Pandey
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