- Crystal Palace star Lacroix in demand
- Liverpool and Chelsea among clubs eyeing Frenchman
- Eagles defender made international debut
Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix has attracted interest from a host of European clubs, following the 25-year-old’s full debut for France.
According to Graeme Bailey of TEAMtalk, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Bayern Munich are all monitoring Lacroix’s availability should Palace be willing to sell in the Summer.
The Eagles acquired Lacroix with little competition for his signature, signing him for £14.9 million in the Summer ahead of the 2024/25 season from German club Wolfsburg. Manager Oliver Glasner had worked with Lacroix during his spell at the club and was keen to continue that partnership over in South London, where the pair have seen unprecedented success at Palace.
Lacroix Catches The Eye
Over the International Break, Lacroix was awarded his first minutes for Les Bleus as they beat Brazil 2-1, before being selected to start his first game for his nation as he beat teammates Jefferson Lerma and Daniel Munoz’s Colombia 3-1.
Lacroix said following his 90 minutes against Colombia:
“I had the opportunity, I took it. I played my football without pressure, I showed that I have qualities to show that I can be part of this group.”
Lacroix understands that this was a chance he had to take. Just under a year ago, the defender told The Guardian that “one day I will be in the French team.” Following his appearances across the last week, that mindset has developed.
“The World Cup, in the United States. Of course it’s a dream. These are the kind of competitions you really want to play in. I want to be part of this kind of competition.”
Over the years, we have seen many players have successful World Cup campaigns and go on to secure big-money moves, most notably James Rodriguez, who signed for Real Madrid for £61 million following the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
A Case of Deja Vu
If Lacroix can continue to impress Didier Deschamps over the remainder of the season, he could well earn himself a seat on the plane to the USA, Mexico, and Canada, and, with the consistency of his performances at club level, feel he should be involved in the national team’s starting selection.
Interest is likely to amount aside from Lacroix’s World Cup inclusion, but a successful tournament with one of the favourites to lift the Jules Rimet would only increase the amount of money Crystal Palace would be able to make on a sale.
Should he leave, Lacroix would be the third successive sale of significance departing Selhurst Park, after Michael Olise’s move ahead of the 2024/25 season and Eberechi Eze’s £60 million move to the Emirates. This, whilst frustrating, is a key part of Palace’s model as a selling club, and securing a big move for Lacroix will continue to strengthen Palace’s position as they look to secure further talent, having proven time and again that a move to Palace can facilitate a big move further down the line.
