Chelsea have reached an agreement with Crystal Palace to sign French defender Maxence Lacroix, strengthening their backline ahead of the new Premier League season.

The 26-year-old centre-back, who joined Palace from Wolfsburg in 2024, impressed during his debut campaign at Selhurst Park, helping the Eagles win both the FA Cup and the UEFA Conference League.

As part of negotiations, Chelsea have given Palace the opportunity to discuss signing one of several defenders expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile have all attracted interest from rival clubs, with Palace now weighing up whether to pursue one of the trio as a replacement for Lacroix.

The two London clubs have maintained a strong working relationship in recent years, completing deals involving players such as Chalobah and Ben Chilwell.

Crystal Palace had also been pursuing Augsburg defender Chrislain Matsima, but reports suggest the South London club are prepared to abandon that move after becoming frustrated by the slow pace of negotiations.

The Eagles have been actively searching for defensive reinforcements since selling captain Marc Guéhi to Manchester City during the January transfer window.

For Chelsea, the arrival of Lacroix adds pace, physicality and top-flight experience to Enzo Maresca’s defensive options as the Blues continue to reshape their squad ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.