Chelsea are preparing to rebuild their defensive line under new manager Xabi Alonso, and the club are intensifying their pursuit of Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix. The Blues intend to add at least one defender to their squad, amid interest in player Trevoh Chalobah, who caught the attention of Italian club Como. Lacroix appears as a priority target.
Chelsea have already sold Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid this summer for €51.8 million and are close to completing the signing of Atalanta defender Marco Palestra for a fee in excess of €43 million. Chelsea's next step is to secure a defender, and Palace is already prepared to receive a proposal from their London rivals for French international Lacroix, who is serving the national team at the World Cup. Lacroix has three years left on his contract and is a key player for the Eagles, having played a central role in the club's FA Cup and Europa Conference League victories.
Crystal Palace are interested in offering Lacroix a new contract but it is unclear whether the 26-year-old is ready to discuss terms. Another option considered by Chelsea is 21-year-old Como defender Jacobo Ramon. The situation is complicated by Como's interest in Chalobah, as the team seeks to strengthen their defense rather than weaken it, and the England international is open to a move to Italy. Ramon also remains linked to his former club Real Madrid through a number of clauses, while the Spanish side have made €120 million Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez one of their top targets this summer. Fernandez expressed interest in moving.
This is part of a significant summer of player sales, defensive departures and improvements for Chelsea ahead of Alonso's official arrival. Palestra, who can play on both sides, should be the first to arrive. Fellow defender Malo Gusto is considering his future at Chelsea, with the club setting a €75m price tag for the Frenchman, who is attracting interest from Manchester City. There are also doubts over the futures of Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo, as more sales are needed to create space at the back, while a striker and midfielder could be signed at a later date.