Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix for a fee in the region of £51 million, ending weeks of negotiation between the two clubs.
The agreement comes after Palace had held firm on a higher valuation for the centre-back, who joined from Wolfsburg in 2024. Chelsea have given Palace the chance to discuss signing a Chelsea defender as part of the talks.
Palace are seeking a replacement for Lacroix and have turned their attention to multiple targets. The club hold an interest in Augsburg centre-back Chrislain Matsima and have opened talks with the German side. Palace are also working to sign Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, who spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham following a spell that ended with the club's relegation to the Championship.