£60m deal agreed, medical next

Chelsea have reportedly agreed a deal worth around £60m to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix. A medical is set to follow shortly. As per the latest transfer news, Chelsea are closing in on another defensive addition, though personal terms are not expected to be an issue.

Maxence Lacroix Set for Medical After Chelsea Agree £60m Fee

As reported by BBC Sport, personal terms are not expected to be a hurdle. His medical for the Blues is expected within the next 24 hours. Once that is done, Maxence Lacroix can put pen to paper on fresh terms. The deal is reportedly set to keep him at the club right through to 2032.

Club officials on both sides have handled these talks directly. As reported by Sky Sports, the final fee could settle nearer £51m once the deal includes add-ons.

As reported by Sports Illustrated, if the move goes through, it will be Chelsea’s seventh signing this summer. The club has already brought in players like Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra. It shows how busy Xabi Alonso’s rebuild at Stamford Bridge has been.

Why Palace’s Defender Has Shone in the Premier League

Hard numbers, not just reputation, have built the Frenchman’s rise. No other player combined at least 50 tackles, 200 duels won and 250 clearances across the 2025-26 Premier League campaign, as reported by BBC Sport. Those stats show how much Oliver Glasner relied on him at the back.

Maxence Lacroix for Crystal Palace in 2025/26as per FOTMOB:

Maxence Lacroix was also key to Palace’s Uefa Conference League win. It was the south London club’s first major European trophy. He also played a part in their Community Shield win over Liverpool. In addition, he showed strong football at the 2026 World Cup with France.

The defender stands at 6ft 4in and offers a rare mix of physical presence and pace. Few centre-backs in the Premier League can match his recovery speed. In fact, only four defenders has registered faster top speeds since he arrived from Wolfsburg in 2024, as reported by BBC Sport. Over the past two seasons, nobody with at least 50 one-on-one contests won the ball back more often. He did so roughly half the time.

Maxence Lacroix Offers Chelsea Tactical Flexibility

Beyond the numbers, Maxence Lacroix brings something else Xabi Alonso will value: flexibility. Glasner used him in a back three for two seasons at Palace, and he adjusted to it well. A straightforward back four has never troubled him either, and that tactical comfort could matter at Chelsea.

That gives the west London club extra options going forward. Alonso himself has used both defensive setups during his coaching career. Chelsea looked open at times last season. So a defender who reads the game this well should ease some of those old worries.

As reported by Sky Sports, the Blues have also given Palace the chance to take one of their own defenders in return. Meanwhile, as reported by Sports Illustrated, Palace still stand to make a tidy profit on a player they signed for around £18m from Wolfsburg back in 2024. That is even after this latest £60m fee. For the Blues, though, the bigger picture is straightforward. After two excellent seasons of English football, Maxence Lacroix now looks ready for a bigger stage. Supporters will hope his composure at the back carries over from Selhurst Park to Stamford Bridge.

Read More: Xabi Alonso wants Chelsea to sign Real Madrid duo

Also Read: Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea gets major £55m update

Read Next: Archie Brown: Chelsea, Man Utd learn Fenerbahce stance