Chelsea have stepped up their pursuit of defender Maxence Lacroix following renewed discussions with Crystal Palace.
Negotiations over the transfer are being led by the respective club owners, and recent talks have been described as constructive.
Palace have been eager to extend Lacroix’s contract — he still has three years remaining — but the player is looking for a new challenge.
It is understood the south London side are demanding at least £60 million for the 26-year-old and have started identifying potential replacements, with Augsburg’s Chrislain Matsima among those being monitored.
Since arriving from Wolfsburg in August 2024 in a move worth up to £18 million, Lacroix has made 98 appearances for Palace.
The centre-back, who represented France at the World Cup, has become one of Chelsea’s main summer targets as the club prioritises players with Premier League experience.
The west London outfit are also close to finalising a £117 million deal for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
Should Chelsea’s move for Lacroix go through, it will cast further doubt over the future of Trevoh Chalobah, who is attracting interest from Como.
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