Chelsea have completed the signing of Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix for £52 million, bringing the France World Cup defender to Stamford Bridge on a contract through 2032.
The 26-year-old, who earned seven senior caps and featured in France’s fourth-place World Cup campaign, arrives after three seasons at Palace, where he made 55 appearances and helped the club win the UEFA Conference League.
Lacroix becomes Chelsea’s third summer acquisition under new manager Xabi Alonso, following Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra, as the club looks to rebound from a 10th-place Premier League finish.
The move signals a strategic shift for Chelsea’s ownership, with Lacroix the oldest player signed under the current regime. Co-owner Behdad Eghbali had pledged to add experience to a young core, and the club also pursued 34-year-old Granit Xhaka before the deal fell through.
Chelsea are separately in talks for Brighton’s Danny Welbeck and Brentford’s Jordan Henderson.
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