Chelsea have significantly increased their efforts to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix, following a new round of discussions between the clubs.
The transfer negotiations are being managed by the ownership groups of both Chelsea and Crystal Palace, with recent conversations reportedly yielding positive outcomes.
Lacroix, who has three years remaining on his current contract with Crystal Palace, has expressed a desire for a new challenge, despite the club's interest in offering him an extended deal. Crystal Palace is seeking a transfer fee of at least £60 million for the 26-year-old French international.
The London club has begun identifying potential replacements for Lacroix, with Augsburg's Chrislain Matsima reportedly among the players being monitored.
Lacroix joined Crystal Palace from Wolfsburg in August 2024 for a fee of up to £18 million and has since made 98 appearances for the club. He has been identified as a key target for Chelsea this summer as they aim to recruit players with Premier League experience.
Chelsea is also nearing the completion of an £117 million deal for Aston Villa attacker Morgan Rogers. The potential acquisition of Lacroix could further complicate the future of Trevoh Chalobah, who has attracted interest from Como.