Crystal Palace have agreed personal terms with VfL Wolfsburg defender, Maxence Lacroix, according to Florian Plettenberg.
The Eagles are in the market for a defender, with Marc Guehi potentially heading to the club’s exit door amid interest from Newcastle United.
Lacroix has been identified as a viable replacement in the event he leaves but Oliver Glasner, who joined in place of Roy Hodgson in February 2024, may be willing to accommodate the two together if possible. As yet, though, no agreement has been reached between the clubs, but the player remains a top target for Crystal Palace.
As revealed by Florian Plettenberg, Palace have agreed personal terms with Lacroix, and are continuing to push in the race for his signature. While the clubs are yet to reach an agreement in negotiations, fans of the Premier League outfit may be pleased to hear that the player has just a single year remaining on his contract, which could play a significant role in easing demands during negotiations.
Lacroix rose to prominence through the Sochaux youth academy, before switching to Germany, where he has now been plying his trade for four years. The 24-year-old received plaudits for his performances with Wolfsburg, and has also been dubbed as “elite” for his skill-set.
Odilon Kossounou of Bayer Leverkusen is also on Palace’s shortlist. However, it seems he has fallen down the priority order, with the South London club favoring Lacroix’s services instead, and Glasner’s experience coaching the Wolfsburg man during his two-year stint is likely to be a crucial factor behind this. Chelsea outcast Trevoh Chalobah has also been linked as a target should Guehi move on.
Guehi’s performances for England at the Euros 2024 likely caught the eye of many clubs both in England’s top-flight and outside it, but it has been Newcastle at the forefront in the race for his signature. Palace may be unwilling to sanction his departure, having already lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich earlier in the window, but the incoming fee from the sale may be useful in funding their next transfer business.
According to reports, Newcastle’s fourth bid for the former Chelsea academy man was rejected despite reaching a club-record amount of £65million in value, with Palace holding out for as much as they can get.