The 26-year-old is currently on holiday following France’s run to the semi-finals of the World Cup, where they lost 2-0 to Spain before being beaten 6-4 by England in a thrilling third-place play-off.
Chelsea have signed defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52 million, with the France international agreeing a deal until 2032, the Premier League club announced on Thursday. The France defender’s £52million switch to Stamford Bridge from London rivals Crystal Palace was officially announced on Thursday. Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali and Palace chairman Steve Parish met in New York ahead of the World Cup final to accelerate talks.
The defender made three appearances for France during the 2026 World Cup, including against England in the third-place play-off, as Les Bleus finished fourth.
The signing offers a glimpse into Chelsea's future direction after a season in which they finished 10th in the Premier League and ended the campaign without a trophy, prompting frustration among supporters.
In his first interview as a Chelsea player, Lacroix explained that he had spoken to several Chelsea players as well as Alonso before deciding to make the switch from south to west London. “I think it’s the best move for me because it’s the best club in the world,” Lacroix said. “I spoke with Malo [Gusto]. I spoke with Trev [Chalobah]. I spoke with Benoit [Badiashile]. It's easy for people to speak well about this club because it has a lot of big history and I'm really proud to be a part of it now. “When I spoke with the gaffer, when I spoke also with the people I know from the national team who play for Chelsea, like Malo, they told me it was the best club I can go to. “So already I was saying: ‘Okay, I don’t need to think too much’. After talking to people I said to myself: ‘This is the best step forward for me’.”