Chelsea agree deal for Maxence Lacroix as Crystal Palace defender closes in on Stamford Bridge move

Chelsea are on the verge of completing the signing of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace. The clubs have reached an agreement in principle, while the French defender has already given the green light to the move.

Only the final formalities remain before the transfer can be officially completed.

Chelsea and Palace reach agreement
According to Sky Sports UK, Crystal Palace initially valued the 26-year-old at around €65m, using Jan Paul van Hecke's move from Brighton & Hove Albion to Tottenham Hotspur as a benchmark.

During negotiations, Chelsea are also understood to have discussed the possibility of including one of their outgoing defenders as part of the deal, helping talks move towards a successful conclusion.

Among the players expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer are Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoît Badiashile, all of whom have attracted interest from elsewhere.

Palace begin search for replacement
With Lacroix now closing in on a Chelsea move, Crystal Palace have stepped up their search for a replacement.

The Eagles had identified Chrislain Matsima of Augsburg as their preferred target in central defence. However, negotiations have failed to progress in recent weeks, prompting Palace to explore alternative options following Marc Guéhi's departure to Manchester City during the January transfer window.