Lacroix completes move to ‘beautiful’ Chelsea

Chelsea have completed the signing of French defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.

An agreement between the clubs was recently reached and the centre-back, 26, has finalised the £51m move, signing a six-year contract.

New head coach Xabi Alonso has been keen to improve Chelsea’s options in defence.

“I am really happy to be part of this beautiful club. Everyone knows the legend of Chelseaits tradition of winning, and to be a part of that is a proud moment,” Lacroix told the Blues’ website.

“When I spoke with the manager, I saw that we have the same direction and desire for this club.

“We want to win. When you see the quality of the players here, everything we have around the club, it’s something that we can achieve. The ambition is to lift trophies, and I can’t wait to contribute.”

Lacroix began his career in France with Sochaux before earning a move to German side VfL Wolfsburg in 2020.

He went on to make 130 appearances across four seasons in the Bundesliga before completing a £18m transfer to Palace in the summer of 2024.

He has since made 70 Premier League appearances and this summer he featured three times for France at the World Cup.