Chelsea land defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace
Chelsea have completed the signing of defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace in a deal reported to be worth 52 million pounds.
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According to reports from The Athletic, the final details are being completed on a deal worth around 52 million pounds, with Lacroix set to put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until June 2032.
The 26-year-old has emerged as one of Chelsea's leading defensive targets after impressing during his time at Crystal Palace. His commanding displays over the past two seasons have convinced the Blues that he can strengthen the heart of their defence for the long term.
Lacroix also boosted his reputation on the international stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after earning his first senior call-ups for France earlier in the year. Head coach Didier Deschamps included him in France's 26-man squad for the tournament, where the defender made three appearances.
He played the full 90 minutes in France's 4-1 group-stage victory over Norway before featuring for 61 minutes as a substitute in the semi-final defeat to eventual champions Spain. Lacroix then started and completed the full match in France's 6-4 loss to England in the third-place play-off.
Chelsea have been active in reshaping their squad ahead of the new campaign, and Lacroix's arrival would add further quality and experience to Xabi Alonso's back line following his impressive performances for both club and country.
Meanwhile, Chelsea continued their encouraging pre-season preparations with a 3-0 victory over League One side Bromley in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
Joao Pedro opened the scoring before Jamie Gittens and Emmanuel Emegha also found the net as Alonso's side maintained their unbeaten start to pre-season.
The Blues will now turn their attention to their upcoming tour of Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia, which begins on July 28 with a match against Western Sydney Wanderers.
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