Chelsea sign France defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace
Chelsea have completed the signing of 26-year-old France centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace on a six-year contract.
In short
- Chelsea have completed the signing of 26-year-old France centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace on a six-year contract.
Chelsea have signed France defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace on a six-year contract, adding the 26-year-old centre-back as the club’s fifth recruit of the summer.
Lacroix joins after making 55 appearances for Palace last season. He previously helped the club win the FA Cup and Conference League and appeared three times for France at the 2026 World Cup.
Chelsea had made defensive experience a priority after Levi Colwill missed almost all of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah carried much of the central-defensive workload during a campaign in which Chelsea finished 10th.
The club has also added Morgan Rogers, Marco Palestra, Emmanuel Emegha and Geovany Quenda during the window. Lacroix said Chelsea’s ambition to compete for trophies and his discussions with manager Xabi Alonso influenced the move.
The Guardian did not state a transfer fee in its report.
