Sports20 July, 20263 min read
Chelsea Step Up Talks With Crystal Palace Over Signing France Defender Maxence Lacroix
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Chelsea and Crystal Palace are in talks to sign Lacroix, with discussions described as positive. Palace value Lacroix at least £55m and will not accept a cut-price deal.
Chelsea push for Lacroix
Chelsea have stepped up talks with Crystal Palace over signing France defender Maxence Lacroix, with Sky Sports News reporting Palace are seeking more than the £55m Tottenham paid for Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton to sanction the sale. Sky Sports News also said the 26-year-old joined the Eagles from Wolfsburg in 2024, and that Chelsea want a centre-back with Premier League experience as the club raised around £130m from sales in this window. The London Evening Standard said the situation is escalating after Lacroix’s World Cup campaign with France came to an end, and that Chelsea and Palace held a fresh round of talks with Palace insisting they will not let him go for a cut price.
The Pride of London framed the week as one where Lacroix could reach a crucial stage, adding that Chelsea have remained busy on multiple deals simultaneously including a £117 million agreement with Aston Villa for Morgan Rogers. talkSPORT reported Chelsea have held formal talks with Crystal Palace regarding Lacroix, with Palace valuing the French centre-back at at least £55million and owner Steve Parish determined to drive a hard bargain over the fee.
World Cup exit, hard bargaining
The BBC said Chelsea have accelerated their interest in Lacroix after a fresh round of talks with Crystal Palace, describing the latest discussions as positive. The BBC added that Palace have been keen to offer Lacroix a new contract, while it is understood the Eagles want a deal worth a minimum £60m for the 26-year-old and have started looking at potential replacements. talkSPORT tied the fee debate to a yardstick, saying Jan Paul van Hecke’s recent £52m move from Brighton to Tottenham Hotspur is being used as a benchmark.
Football365 reported that Chelsea now need to increase their offer by just £3million to strike a deal with Crystal Palace for Lacroix, citing journalist Alan Nixon on Patreon. Football365 also quoted Nixon saying, "Chelsea and Crystal Palace are getting closer to a deal for French centre half Maxence Lacroix," while noting Palace holding out for more as both clubs focus on cash valuation.
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Rogers deal and Chelsea plans
Alongside the Lacroix pursuit, Chelsea’s transfer activity is centered on Morgan Rogers, with Sky Sports News saying Rogers arrived for a medical ahead of completing a British-record £117m move from Aston Villa. Sky Sports News reported that, all being well, Rogers is expected to sign a six-year contract at Chelsea with the option of another year until 2033, and that he returned from the USA on Sunday following England's third-place finish at the World Cup. The Pride of London said Rogers has undergone his medical on Monday and that he could be officially confirmed before the end of the week, while also stating BlueCo’s spending looks set to top £250 million again.
talkSPORT said Chelsea are now set to sign Rogers from Aston Villa for a British record fee of £117m, and it added that Middlesbrough will be in line for a large sum as part of the deal after buying Rogers from Manchester City in July 2023 for £1.1m. BBC also linked the Lacroix outcome to Chelsea’s squad planning, saying if Chelsea’s move for Lacroix is successful, the future of Trevoh Chalobah, who has interest from Como, will come further into question.