Crystal Palace has a habit of making things difficult for clubs trying to poach their best players. Maxence Lacroix is the latest example. The French international center-back, who joined from Wolfsburg for $23 million two years ago, now carries a price tag that has ballooned closer to $76 million. And Palace isn’t budging.
That’s according to reports that suggest Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all circling. But here’s the thing: Palace is perfectly happy to let the bidding war play out. They’ve seen this movie before.
Why Lacroix Is Worth the Fight
Lacroix has been the anchor of Oliver Glasner’s back three at Selhurst Park. At 6’4″, he’s not just a wall in front of goal — he’s comfortable with the ball at his feet and even chipped in with a goal and two assists last season. More importantly, Palace has won three trophies in two years with him in the middle of that defense: the FA Cup, the Community Shield, and the Europa Conference League.
His numbers are legit. Twenty clean sheets across all competitions last season, two clean sheets in three of those finals. Didier Deschamps noticed. Lacroix made France’s World Cup squad ahead of Benjamin Pavard, Castello Lukeba, and even Manchester United’s Leny Yoro. That tells you everything about how the national team coaching staff rates him.
Chelsea Leads the Race, But There’s a Problem
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea has made Lacroix their top target. Xabi Alonso wants to switch to a 3-4-2-1 system next season, and Lacroix is basically the blueprint for how that role works in the Premier League. The player is open to moving from south to west London, too.
But Chelsea hasn’t been able to get a deal done. Palace initially wanted around $60 million. Now? Try $76 million. A well-placed source told the outlet: “Chelsea have made Lacroix their priority and efforts are still ongoing to get a deal done. Palace won’t make it easy, though, and their initial asking price has risen now quite substantially.”
The Rest of the Pack
Arsenal is stepping up its interest after William Saliba’s injury. Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all monitoring the situation. Real Madrid has reportedly been in the mix too.
For Manchester United specifically, a center-back isn’t exactly a glaring need on paper. Michael Carrick has options. But Matthijs de Ligt keeps missing time, Harry Maguire has injury concerns, and Lisandro Martinez is coming off another fitness scare. INEOS has made it clear they want Premier League-proven players entering their prime. Lacroix fits that description perfectly.
Whether United is willing to drop $76 million to hijack Chelsea’s move is another question entirely. But Palace is sitting back, watching the offers roll in, and waiting to see who blinks first.
Leave a Comment