Chelsea have completed the signing of central defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for a reported £52 million fee.
The 26-year-old France international signed a six-year contract, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until 2032.
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Lacroix becomes Chelsea's third major summer arrival, following deals for Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra.
Defensive Reinforcement
Lacroix joined Crystal Palace from Wolfsburg in 2024 for £15.5 million and made 55 appearances last season, helping the Eagles win the UEFA Conference League.
His arrival marks a shift in Chelsea's recruitment strategy, as it is the first time since summer 2022 that the club has paid a transfer fee for a player aged 26 or older.
The 6-foot-4 defender emerged as a top target after Chelsea's defensive struggles, which saw the club finish 10th in the Premier League without a clean sheet in their final 16 league matches.
Player's Reaction
"I think when I saw the players like Reece [James], like Morgan [Rogers], I'm just really happy to be also in a way in their story, you know?
To write part of the Chelsea story with them," Lacroix said.
"I'm really proud, really happy, to be part of this beautiful project and I just want to start playing," he added.
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Lacroix featured three times for France during the 2026 World Cup, including a start against England in the third-place play-off.
He consulted with current Chelsea players before making the move. "I spoke with Malo [Gusto].
I spoke with Trev [Chalobah]. I spoke with Benoit [Badiashile].
It's easy for people to speak well about this club because it has a lot of big history," Lacroix said.
He also discussed tactics with head coach Xabi Alonso. "I spoke with the manager on the phone.
We spoke about tactics, we spoke about how he sees the game. I saw that we have the same direction and desire for this club," Lacroix noted.
"When you see the quality of the players here, everything we have around the club, it's something that we can achieve.
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The ambition is to lift trophies, and I can't wait to contribute," he concluded.
