Chelsea has officially signed centre-back Maxence Lacroix from fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace.
The French international has put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at the club until the conclusion of the 2031-32 season.
“I’m extremely delighted to join such a prestigious club. Everyone recognizes Chelsea’s legendary status and winning legacy, and it’s an honor to be part of that,” Lacroix told the club’s media team.
“During my conversation with the manager, it became clear that we share the same vision and eagerness to see this club succeed.
“We aim to win. When you look at the caliber of players here and everything that surrounds the club, I truly believe we can accomplish our goals. Our ambition is to lift trophies, and I’m eager to contribute to that.”
In their announcement, Chelsea praised Lacroix as “one of the Premier League’s fastest and most formidable aerial defenders.”
He is the sixth player Chelsea has signed this summer, following Morgan Rogers, Marco Palestra, Emmanuel Emegha, Dastan Satpaev, Denner, and Geovany Quenda.
Lacroix helped Crystal Palace secure the FA Cup in 2025 and also contributed to their Conference League victory at the end of the 2025-26 season, making 55 appearances for the club during that campaign.
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Levi Colwill was sidelined for most of last season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, while Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah formed the central defensive pair for much of the previous season.
After a disappointing season that saw Chelsea finish 10th, club officials have recognized the need for a shift in recruitment strategy, moving away from signing young, inexperienced players towards more seasoned individuals who can drive the team toward title contention.
Chelsea is also in talks to acquire Brighton’s Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, whose contract with Brentford was recently terminated.
Information from PA contributed to this story.