Chelsea has secured the signing of French international defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace on a contract extending to 2032. The 26-year-old, who has seven appearances for France including a World Cup semi-final, moves for a reported fee of around €60 million. Lacroix won the Europa Conference League with Crystal Palace in the spring after joining in 2024, having previously played for Sochaux and Wolfsburg. He recently surpassed Ibrahima Konaté in the French national team hierarchy, becoming the backup to William Saliba. Lacroix expressed his delight, calling Chelsea "the best club in the world," and will reunite with teammate Malo Gusto. Chelsea, currently managed by Xabi Alonso, hopes Lacroix will bolster their defense following a challenging season and recent high-profile signings, including Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra.