All the noise coming out of Chelsea suggests that Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix is their top centre-back target this summer.
Chelsea are in the market for a new central defender, while one or two of their current options could leave Stamford Bridge before the transfer window closes.
Como are finalising a deal to sign Trevoh Chalobah, and it would not be a shock to see a couple more names follow him out of the exit door.
In terms of incomings, though, Lacroix is the man they want. But he is not going to come cheap.
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Chelsea should pay £60m for Maxence Lacroix
Xabi Alonso is said to be convinced of Lacroix’s quality, which increases the chances of Chelsea paying the transfer fee Palace are demanding.
According to Si Phillips Talks Chelsea, when the Blues enquired about Lacroix’s price tag, Palace quoted a £52m fee.
It is the same amount of money that Tottenham Hotspur paid to sign Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion. Clearly, Palace were using that transfer as a benchmark.
However, Palace now want £60m for the 26-year-old, the report from Si Phillips Talks Chelsea claims.
In this current market, it is more than a reasonable fee. Brighton just paid £46m for Luka Vuskovic who has a lot of potential but is still 19 and has not played in the Premier League before.
Lacroix is seven years his senior and tried and tested in the English top flight.
Last season, the Frenchman made 7.2 clearances per game. It was the joint-highest average alongside Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, according to WhoScored. He also won 3.4 aerial duels per game, which was a very high average as well.
Before the centre-back market spirals out of control, just as the central midfielder market has, Chelsea should just make a £60m bid for Lacroix. Based on his performances at Palace, they will not regret it.
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