Maxence Lacroix draws £50m bids as Chelsea and Liverpool vie for Crystal Palace defender

Crystal Palace centre‑back Maxence Lacroix, 26, has attracted intense interest from several Premier League clubs after a breakthrough season in which he made six goal contributions, kept 17 clean sheets in 52 appearances and helped the Eagles reach the Conference League final. Chelsea and Liverpool are reported to be the leading bidders, with a potential transfer fee estimated around £50 million.

Palace, who signed Lacroix from VfL Wolfsburg for £18 million in 2024, have offered him a substantial new contract—potentially doubling his current weekly wage of £50,000—to persuade him to stay. The French defender, who is also a member of France’s World Cup squad, is seen as a key pillar of Oliver Glasner’s project and is valued at a £50 million rating on the market. Other suitors mentioned include Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, Napoli, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, but the club says it has no immediate plan to sell.

Chelsea’s new manager Xabi Alonso is reportedly looking to reinforce the defence, while Liverpool are exploring options to replace ageing defender Virgil van Dijk. The situation is expected to develop further over the summer transfer window.