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Chelsea have the perfect welcoming gift waiting for Maxence Lacroix, but he may need John Terry’s blessing.<\/h2>\n <\/p>\n\n
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\nMaxence Lacroix for France at the World Cup(Image: Photo by Johnny Fidelin\/Icon Sport via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/button><\/p>\n
Maxence Lacroix may need John Terry’s blessing to wear the famous number 26 shirt for Chelsea. The 26-year-old defender looks set to become the third senior signing of the Xabi Alonso era at Stamford Bridge, following the arrivals of Marco Palestra and Morgan Rogers.<\/p>\n
While the sporting leadership team finalise the paperwork, taking the total expenditure for the transfer window to just over \u00a3200m, the Blues manager will be working hard to ensure Lacroix is given a warm welcome. The France international could be offered the chance to wear an iconic shirt number: 26, previously worn by Terry.<\/p>\n
He donned the number four at Wolfsburg and the number five at Crystal Palace, but at Chelsea, those shirts are currently taken by Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile. With the only other currently available numbers below 30 being 13, 16, 18, and 22, none of which Lacroix has officially worn, the number 26 remains the only realistic option.<\/p>\n
The Frenchman wore the shirt for his country at the World Cup, where he made three appearances. He also donned the jersey in the international friendlies preceding the tournament earlier in the year.<\/p>\n
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! <\/strong>Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page<\/strong><\/p>\nIf Lacroix wants to continue wearing the number 26, he may need to pick up the phone and call Terry, just as Kalidou Koulibaly did when he joined Chelsea from Napoli in July 2022. During his first press conference as a Blues player, the defender claimed he ‘wanted to be respectful to a club legend’.<\/p>\n
Koulibaly said: “I wanted to know which number was free, and speaking with the team manager, he told me some numbers, and he didn\u2019t tell me 26. He said John left it in 2017 and nobody took it from this time.<\/p>\n
“I was asking if it was retired or nobody wanted to take it, so I asked Gianfranco Zola, who I know very well, and asked him for John\u2019s number. I called him, and at the beginning he didn\u2019t believe it was me; he believed it was a joke and put down the phone and called first the manager to ask if it was really me.<\/p>\n
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\nKalidou Koulibaly lasted just one season at Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/button><\/div>\n
“After I asked him respectfully that I wanted to take his number. I know it\u2019s very important for him, and for me it\u2019s also important because I took it directly when I went to Napoli and wanted to keep it here at Chelsea.<\/p>\n
“When he said yes, I was really happy because I know what he did for the club, I know what he did for the supporters, for the city here, and I know it\u2019s very important to ask him first to wear it.<\/p>\n
“He gave me his answer, and I was happy, and I wanted to tell people I asked him because I want to be respectful to the legend of the club.”<\/p>\n
Levi Colwill claimed the number 26 shirt the following year. In an interview with The Athletic, the Cobham graduate, who now wears the number six, explained why he chose the iconic jersey.<\/p>\n
“Everyone is saying it\u2019s because of John, but it\u2019s because that\u2019s the date of my birthday (Colwill was born on February 26, 2003),” said Colwill. “It was my number when I was growing up, even if I was just playing a football game on PlayStation.<\/p>\n
“When Huddersfield told me I was going to get the number 26 shirt, it was perfect. Obviously, all the Chelsea fans started comparing me to John Terry. Have I thought about changing it because of that? No.”<\/p>\n
Colwill added: “I\u2019ll take it. I\u2019m not going to complain. It\u2019s not a bad thing to be called the new John Terry. I haven\u2019t made the comparison myself, so the fans and media can make whatever comparisons they want to make; it isn\u2019t going to affect me.<\/p>\n
“John Terry is a club legend and leader, someone every centre-back at Chelsea should look up to. A great guy and player. I\u2019ve not had the chance to speak to him too much.<\/p>\n
“When he was around the academy building, we\u2019d have the odd little chat, but it\u2019d be more of a \u2018Hi, how are you?\u2019 kind of thing, not on a personal level about football or things like that.\u2019<\/p>\n
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Get Chelsea’s new 2026\/27 away kit<\/p>\n
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Chelsea have launched their new away kit for the 2026\/27 season, said to be a celebration of the club’s ‘Italian Renaissance’. It’s designed with a black base and gold trim in tribute to their transformative 1990s era.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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