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The card that could tip the scales in the English Mercato
The race to sign French defender Maxence Lacroix has entered a tougher phase after Crystal Palace’s financial demands rose significantly as Chelsea continue to push for a deal while Arsenal look to capitalize on failed negotiations to snap up the player amid growing interest from a number of Premier League clubs.
“The network is exposed.”CaughtOffsideNew developments in Chelsea’s pursuit of Maxence Lacroix come in light of the possibility that other clubs, led by Arsenal, will enter the fray in the summer transfer window.
Although Chelsea are still working hard to complete the deal and bring the French defender to Stamford Bridge, negotiations have not seen any tangible progress so far.
According to what the network revealed.CaughtOffside“Lacroix prefers to move to Chelsea, who also consider him the first defensive target to strengthen their ranks this summer.
But the main stumbling block is the position of Crystal Palace, who have significantly raised their financial demands after being prepared to offload the player for around €55m, before the current asking price would be between €65m and €70m.
Crystal Palace will be hoping to spark intense competition between clubs interested in signing the player in order to maximize the value of the deal.
The club’s management believes that waiting for negotiations could allow them to obtain a better financial offer, especially after Lacroix’s participation in the 2026 World Cup, which could increase his market value.
A source told the network.CaughtOffside“Chelsea have made signing Lacroix a top priority and efforts are still ongoing to complete the deal, but Crystal Palace will not make it easy after their initial asking price of €55m has risen significantly.”
“Crystal Palace are aware that there are other clubs closely monitoring the situation. Arsenal have been tracking the player for some time and are now stepping up their interest in a new centre-back following William Saliba’s injury. The movements of Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City must also be monitored.
Meanwhile, Arsenal continue to explore several options to strengthen their defensive line as they include Ezri Konsa on their list of targets, in addition to exploring the possibility of signing West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos.
Despite this, Lacroix remains one of the most popular names on the table at the London club and the Gunners will not hesitate to try to outdo Chelsea if given the chance.
For now, Chelsea are still the closest to finalizing a deal, but the slow pace of negotiations with Crystal Palace could give Arsenal and possibly other clubs a real chance to enter the race strongly and snap up the French defender before the transfer window closes.
