The latest on Chelsea’s ongoing pursuit of Maxence Lacroix with the Blues looking to bring the French centre back to Stamford Bridge this summer
Chelsea have intensified their pursuit of Maxence Lacroix with the Blues making an official enquiry to Crystal Palace earlier this week regarding the defender.
The 26-year-old centre back is Chelsea’s priority in that position this summer, according to sources, and direct club-to-club talks with the Eagles started a couple of days ago. There is talk of Lacroix giving the green light to the Blues, with the obstacle to overcome looking like reaching an agreement with Palace.
Palace, though, are no stranger to selling their best players. A report in The Athletic earlier this week claimed Palace’s strategy when it comes to their transfer business is to buy players either at a young age or are less known to the wider footballing world, and then look to sell them on for a substantial profit to reinvest the money in other areas of the squad.
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Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Marc Guehi (Manchester City) and Micheal Olise (Bayern Munich) are just three recent examples of big-money departures from Selhurst Park. That has been the model Palace have used in recent seasons – and it has worked extremely well for the south Londoners, who added the Conference League last term to their FA Cup triumph in 2024/25.
Chelsea will be hoping the negotiations with Palace are smooth sailing and they can land Xabi Alonso’s top defensive target as soon as possible, so the club’s attention can move elsewhere in the summer transfer window.
Jacobo Ramon from Como is another centre back target for Chelsea this summer but it appears the club have decided to go with Lacroix instead. Blues chiefs are looking for a long-term partner for Levi Colwill, who remains front and centre of the club’s plans.
Trevoh Chalobah could depart this summer. As reported on football.london earlier in the week, the Cobham graduate is a target for Como, as well as multiple other Champions League sides, and will be allowed to leave if the price is right.
While sources wouldn’t disclose the price tag on Chalobah’s head, they did confirm he was not untouchable this summer. He remains highly rated but Chelsea will be willing to do business.
