A Crystal Palace star has played his last game at Selhurst Park, with a summer transfer 'scheduled', according to reports.
Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at Selhurst Park brought the curtain down on Palace's Premier League season.
Arsenal-Odegaard-Rice
It was the kind of performance that has characterised much of the campaign — competitive, organised, never short of effort, but ultimately beaten by a side operating at a different level.
The newly crowned champions were made to work for it, but the gap in quality told in the end.
Palace finish 15th on 45 points — a forgettable league position, but one that only tells half the story of a remarkable year.
The other half is written in Europe.
Wednesday night in Leipzig against Rayo Vallecano represents one of the biggest fixtures in Palace's history.
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The Eagles have expressed an interest.
A Conference League final, a chance to lift their first ever European trophy, and an occasion that nobody at the club could have imagined 12 months ago, mainly because they were expected to be in the Europa League at that time.
Still, the FA Cup final victory over Man City last May earned Palace their place in this season's competition, and they have made the most of it — progressing through the group stage, navigating tricky knockout ties, and now standing 90 minutes from silverware.
Whatever happens in Germany, the summer that follows will reshape the squad considerably.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner applauds fans after the match
With Jean-Philippe Mateta reportedly closing in on a permanent move to AC Milan and the looming managerial vacancy unresolved, another departure is now taking shape — this time at the heart of the defence.
Crystal Palace star Maxence Lacroix set to leave this summer
According to French journalist Fabrice Hawkins, centre-back Maxence Lacroix is set to leave the club this summer.
Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix and Jefferson Lerma in action with Leeds United's Ethan Ampadu and Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The reporter claimed on Sunday that Lacroix was in line to play his final match at Selhurst Park against Arsenal, but the Frenchman was an unused substitute in a heavily-rotated side.
Hawkins also reports that a transfer has already been 'scheduled', with no discussions underway over extending his contract.
Given the 26-year-old didn't end up featuring against Arsenal, his final appearance at Selhurst may have actually been their 2-2 draw against Everton.
It would be a considerable blow.
Lacroix has been Palace's most reliable defender this season, starting 35 Premier League matches and accumulating over 3,000 minutes at the heart of the backline.
A near ever-present record since arriving from Wolfsburg in August 2024 reflects a player who has been central to everything the club have done — from the FA Cup triumph in his debut campaign to the Community Shield this term.
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A full France international at 26, he is entering his peak years and represents exactly the kind of asset that Premier League rivals will pay a premium for.
Hawkins confirms that several top-flight clubs have already registered interest, though he does not name them. Palace hold a strong negotiating position — Lacroix's contract runs until 2029, giving them no reason to accept anything below market value.
Given his age, international pedigree and the length of his deal, any serious offer would likely need to exceed £34m to even open a conversation.
But if the player's mind is made up, holding on to him unwillingly brings its own risks.
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A discontented defender is a liability no club can afford, and Palace may decide that cashing in and reinvesting is the smarter long-term play — particularly with a new manager still to be appointed and a squad that needs reshaping across multiple positions.
Wednesday comes first. Lacroix will almost certainly start in Leipzig, and his performance in the final could be the last thing Palace fans see from a player who gave them everything while he was there.
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He'd be a solid signing for both.