Chelsea have officially secured the services of French defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace in a £52 million transfer.
According to BBC Sport, the 26-year-old has signed a long-term deal that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2032, making him Chelsea’s third signing of the summer.
Lacroix joined Crystal Palace from Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg in 2024 for an initial £15.5 million and quickly became one of the club’s standout performers under manager Oliver Glasner.
Last season, the centre-back made 55 appearances in all competitions and helped Palace win the UEFA Conference League, the first major European trophy in the club’s history.
The France international, who has seven senior caps, also featured in three matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including the third-place play-off against England, as France ended the tournament in fourth place.
Lacroix joins Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra as Chelsea’s latest arrivals ahead of the club’s first campaign under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
The Blues moved for the French defender after identifying the need to strengthen their backline with more leadership, physicality and defensive quality.
