Chelsea reach agreement to sign Maxence Lacroix for £47.5m

Chelsea are set to sign Maxence Lacroix this summer, per reports from L’Equipe. The 26-year-old Frenchman is expected to seal the £47.5m deal after the World Cup.

The club is simultaneously preparing for the departure of Marc Cucurella, who has agreed to a £51.8m transfer to Real Madrid after the World Cup. In anticipation of that vacancy, Chelsea are attempting to sign Pep Chavarria as a surprise replacement for Marc Cucurella, according to new reports. Journalist Matteo Moretto, writing for Spanish outlet Marca, now claims that Chelsea are considering an offer for Chavarria, who plays for Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga. Initial contact is said to have been made over the 28-year-old, who has an unspecified release clause and an offer on the table from Bayer Leverkusen.

Chelsea’s recruitment activity extends beyond the defensive line, though not all efforts have met with success. David Ornstein has reported Sunderland have turned down Chelsea’s £8m bid for Granit Xhaka. Multiple reports confirmed the Blues are interested and Xhaka, 34, wants the reunion with his former Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso. However, Ornstein suggests the Black Cats are not willing to sanction their captain’s sale at any price. Sunderland finished 7th and qualified for the Europa League, pipping Chelsea to a European place in their first season back in the top-flight after a eight-year absence.

While Chelsea focus on these high-profile moves, the wider Premier League landscape remains in a state of flux as clubs adjust their strategies following the World Cup. The transfer market is active across the board, with various clubs navigating internal personnel changes and competing interests:

• Manchester United: Currently weighing a move for Crysencio Summerville, though progress remains contingent on the potential exit of Marcus Rashford. Reports suggest AS Roma has also made an offer to the player, with a decision expected shortly.
• Nottingham Forest: Targeting Curtis Jones, according to TalkSport. Forest are looking for a replacement for Elliot Anderson, whose £130m move to Manchester City is set to be completed in the next 72 hours.
• Brighton: Have reached an agreement with Leeds to sign Pascal Struijk, per Sky Sports. A deal in the region of £20m has been agreed for the Belgian defender.
• Bournemouth: Have joined Arsenal in the race to sign PSG youngster Emmanuel Mbemba. The BBC report the Cherries have opened talks for the 18-year-old full back, who is due to leave Paris when his contract expires.

The urgency in the market is further complicated by injury setbacks elsewhere. Manuel Ugarte is rumoured to be out for the next 9-12 months, in news that could complicated Manchester United’s transfer plans. This means the club will have less money to play around with on wages and transfer fees on signings like West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes.

For Chelsea, the acquisition of Lacroix addresses a specific need for stability at the back. Chelsea could also move for Kone, and are still interested in Maxence Lacroix. As the window progresses, the focus remains on finalizing the incoming transfers while managing the departures of established squad members. With the World Cup now concluding, further clarity on player movements across the league is expected to emerge in the coming days.

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