{"id":16645,"date":"2026-07-12T11:41:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T11:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=16645"},"modified":"2026-07-12T11:41:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T11:41:37","slug":"maxence-lacroix-deal-awaits-crystal-palace-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=16645","title":{"rendered":"Maxence Lacroix deal awaits Crystal Palace move"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"content-main\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--post-header--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"post-excerpt left\"><\/p>\n<p>Chelsea continue pursuit as Crystal Palace defeneder Maxence Lacroix in the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"post-feat-img\" class=\"left relative\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-115.webp\" class=\"attachment- size- wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-115.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-115-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-115-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-115.webp\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"1200\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"675\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--post-feat-img--><\/p>\n<section class=\"social-sharing-top\">\n<p><span class=\"fb-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-facebook-f\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Maxence Lacroix deal awaits Crystal Palace move -&amp;url=https:\/\/sixsports.in\/maxence-lacroix-deal-awaits-crystal-palace-move\/', 'twitterShare', 'width=626,height=436'); return false;\" title=\"Share This Post\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"twitter-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-x-twitter\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"whatsapp-but1\"><i class=\"fa fa-whatsapp fa-2\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"pinterest-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-pinterest-p\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"email-but\"><i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-2\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Email<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--social-sharing-top--><\/p>\n<div class=\"sx-entity-card\">\n<div class=\"sx-entity-top\">\n<div class=\"sx-entity-logo\">\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/chelsea_fc_logo-1.avif\" alt=\"CHELSEA\"\/>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"sx-entity-description\">\n<p>            Chelsea is one of England\u2019s premier football clubs, competing in the Premier League and European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League. Known for its strong squad, tactical versatility, and competitive history, Chelsea has won multiple league titles, domestic cups,\u2026            <a class=\"sx-entity-readmore\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/team\/chelsea\/\"><br \/>\n                Read More about CHELSEA\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maxence Lacroix transfer news is growing stronger as Chelsea continue their search for a new centre back. The French defender has become one of the club\u2019s top targets, but Crystal Palace are not making any move easy.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-chelsea-keep-maxence-lacroix-high-on-shortlist\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chelsea keep Maxence Lacroix high on shortlist<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea remain interested in signing Maxence Lacroix during the summer transfer window. <strong>As reported by The Standard<\/strong>the France international is one of the club\u2019s leading defensive targets as Xabi Alonso looks to reshape his squad ahead of the new season. Palace and Chelsea have discussed the situation, although no official bid has been submitted yet. The 26-year-old is believed to be open to joining Stamford Bridge. However, Palace are in a strong position because they are under no financial pressure to sell one of their key players.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>As reported by Football London,<\/strong> the Blues see Lacroix as a player who already knows the Premier League well. The club believe he could strengthen a back line that has dealt with injuries and inconsistency over the past season. They are also monitoring other defenders, but the Frenchman remains one of their preferred options.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Maxence Lacroix\u2019s stats for Crystal Palace this season, as\u00a0 per FOTMOB:<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\">\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Competitions<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Matches<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Defensive Contributions<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Tackles<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Interceptions<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Clearances<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Premier League<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">35<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">375<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">60<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">45<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">252<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>EFL Cup<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">41<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">3<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">34<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Conference League<\/strong><\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">14<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">97<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">12<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">20<\/td>\n<td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">61<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-palace-prepare-while-chelsea-review-options\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Palace prepare while Chelsea review options<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Crystal Palace are also planning ahead. <strong>As reported by The Standard,<\/strong> the club have opened talks with representatives of Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell. That does not automatically mean Maxence Lacroix will leave, but it shows Palace are looking at possible defensive changes if an offer eventually arrives. <strong>The Blues<\/strong> could also balance their squad through departures. Trevoh Chalobah has attracted interest from Serie A, with Como among the clubs linked with the defender.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>As reported by BBC Sport,<\/strong> Chelsea are continuing to reshape the squad under Alonso after a disappointing league campaign. The club want experienced players who can improve the defence immediately rather than waiting for long-term projects to develop. Palace are expected to demand a significant fee if they agree to sell Lacroix, making negotiations far from simple.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" alt=\"Chelsea\" class=\"wp-image-197300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-768x432.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp\" alt=\"Chelsea\" class=\"wp-image-197300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"h-maxence-lacroix-world-cup-does-not-slow-transfer-interest\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maxence Lacroix: World Cup does not slow transfer interest<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lacroix is currently with France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but that has not reduced interest in his future. <strong>As reported by<\/strong> <strong>TALKSPORT<\/strong>Chelsea are preparing to move once the tournament is over, with the defender viewed as one of Alonso\u2019s priority targets. Palace would still prefer to keep him, although interest from a club of Chelsea\u2019s size naturally adds pressure to the situation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The defender has impressed over the last two seasons with calm performances, pace and strong reading of the game. Those qualities have made him one of the most talked about centre backs in this transfer window. For now, there is no agreement between the clubs. Chelsea must still decide whether to submit an offer that matches Palace\u2019s expectations. Until then, the transfer remains a developing story, with both sides carefully considering their next move before the <strong>football<\/strong> transfer market gathers even more pace.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-author-s-opinion\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Author\u2019s Opinion<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chelsea\u2019s interest makes sense because Lacroix has already proved himself in the <strong>Premier League.<\/strong> Still, Palace have little reason to rush into a sale. Unless the right offer arrives, both clubs may have to stay patient before any deal moves forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>READ MORE: Geovany Quenda joins Chelsea as \u00a340m transfer confirmed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>ALSO READ: Jesse Derry to leave Chelsea as Sporting loan move nears.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>READ NEXT: Tyrique George set for Everton after \u00a324m deal agreed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"after-article-links\" style=\"margin-top:20px; font-size:14px;\">Follow the latest updates from <strong>Premier League<\/strong>, <strong>The League<\/strong> and<br \/>\n        <strong>Champions League<\/strong>or explore more<br \/>\n        <strong>Football<\/strong> stories, <strong>Football Teams<\/strong> &#038; <strong>All Football Competitions<\/strong> . Follow more updates on CHELSEA. You can also check <strong>Latest Sports News<\/strong> or visit <strong>Six Sports<\/strong> for more Football updates.<\/div>\n<div class=\"fe-author-box\">\n<div class=\"fe-author-avatar\">\n        <img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/85f3fe75dfd4830d2b5bad2f5e4558c1e496a685f352a97aa1e81ee53f59faf5?s=200&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-100 photo\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/85f3fe75dfd4830d2b5bad2f5e4558c1e496a685f352a97aa1e81ee53f59faf5?s=100&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/85f3fe75dfd4830d2b5bad2f5e4558c1e496a685f352a97aa1e81ee53f59faf5?s=100&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/85f3fe75dfd4830d2b5bad2f5e4558c1e496a685f352a97aa1e81ee53f59faf5?s=200&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-100 photo\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" decoding=\"async\"\/>    <\/div>\n<div class=\"fe-author-content\">\n<h2 class=\"fe-author-name\">\n<p>                Aarya Sikder<br \/>\n        <\/h2>\n<p class=\"fe-author-bio\">\n<p>                Aarya Sikder is a Football Writer at Six Sports, contributing articles on football match developments, player performances, and news from across the football world. His work focuses on delivering engaging and informative coverage that keeps readers updated on key events and emerging storylines in the sport.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nThrough his contributions to Six Sports, Aarya provides match reports, tactical insights, and feature articles that highlight trends and narratives shaping football today. His writing combines clarity with accessible analysis, making it engaging for both casual fans and dedicated followers of the sport.            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mvp-org-wrap\" itemprop=\"publisher\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Organization\">\n<div class=\"mvp-org-logo\" itemprop=\"logo\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"145\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png.webp\" class=\"ewww_webp_lazy_load\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"145\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--mvp-org-logo--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Six Sports\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--mvp-org-wrap--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--posts-nav-link--><\/p>\n<div class=\"mentioned-article-block\">\n<h3 class=\"mentioned-title\">Mentioned in this Article<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--comments-button--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--comments-->\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chelsea continue pursuit as Crystal Palace defeneder Maxence Lacroix in the summer transfer window. Share&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}