Chelsea signs Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52m

Chelsea has signed French defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52 million.

On Thursday, BBC Sport reported that the 26-year-old centre-back has signed a contract with Chelsea until 2032. He is the club’s third signing this summer.

Lacroix has seven caps for France. He joined Crystal Palace from Bundesliga team Wolfsburg in 2024 for £15.5 million. He quickly became a key player under manager Oliver Glasner.

Last season, Lacroix made 55 appearances in all competitions as Palace won the UEFA Conference League. This victory was the club’s first major European trophy.

He also played three times for France at the 2026 World Cup. This included the third-place match against England, where France finished fourth.

Lacroix joins Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra as Chelsea’s summer signings. The club is preparing for its first season with new manager Xabi Alonso.

Chelsea saw Lacroix as a priority after concerns about their defense. They wanted to add more physicality and leadership to the team.

Other defenders were considered, including former Manchester City player John Stones and Como’s Jacopo Ramon. But Lacroix was Chelsea’s first choice.

Negotiations between Chelsea and Crystal Palace took time over the transfer fee and personal terms. Lacroix agreed to the move after France's World Cup run ended.

His signing shows how Chelsea is changing its transfer strategy after a disappointing last season. The team finished 10th in the Premier League and did not win a trophy.

Co-owner Behdad Eghbali had said the club would change its approach. They want to add more experienced players to a squad with young talents like Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Levi Colwill.

Lacroix is now the oldest player Chelsea has signed under the current ownership. This shows the club's focus on bringing in more experienced players.

Chelsea also looked into signing Switzerland midfielder Granit Xhaka, but that deal did not happen.

With the addition of Lacroix and Morgan Rogers, who just turned 24, Chelsea is following its plan to add more ready-made players before the new season.