Crystal Palace ask for forgotten Chelsea defender in Maxence Lacroix talks
Crystal Palace are reportedly working to sign Chelsea defender Axel Disasi on loan as they prepare for Maxence Lacroix to complete a transfer move to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea made a statement of intent at the start of the week, seeing off strong competition from bitter rivals Arsenal to capture England midfielder Morgan Rogers in a British-record £117million deal with Aston Villa.
The Blues have also landed right-back Marco Palestra and right winger Geovany Quenda from Atalanta and Sporting respectively, with club bosses determined to reinforce a squad that finished tenth in the Premier League last season.
However, Chelsea are far from satisfied with their summer transfer business and central defence has been identified as an area of focus after the side shipped 52 goals across the top-flight campaign.
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Palace and France defender Lacroix was first seriously linked as a target just over a month ago and Chelsea have stepped up their interest in the intervening weeks, with negotiations advancing at a pace.
For the time being, it’s understood Palace are standing firm on their £55m asking price for Lacroix, a player who has helped them win the FA Cup, the Europa Conference League and the Community Shield across a glittering two-year spell at Selhurst Park.
But according to The Telegraph, Lacroix is edging ever closer to joining Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea after returning home from France’s World Cup campaign in North America, where he made three appearances.
The report claims the two London clubs are also in discussions over a season-long loan for Disasi, with Palace keen to bring in a centre-half with Premier League experience to replace Lacroix.
Disasi has not played for Chelsea since as far back as January 2025, when he came on as a substitute in a 3-1 win over Wolves.
The 28-year-old France international went on to join Aston Villa on loan the following month, before spending the second half of last season at West Ham.
Though Disasi was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise wretched season for the Hammers, in which they were relegated into the Championship, he is deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Disasi has three years remaining on his current contract in west London.
The towering 6 ft 3 in centre-back has made a total of 61 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea since joining the club from Monaco in a £38.5m deal in 2023.
He was a part of Chelsea’s Europa Conference-winning squad in 2025 and picked up a runners-up medal the previous season as the Blues were beaten by Liverpool in the final of the Carabao Cup.
Towards the end of last season, West Ham full-back El Hadji Malick Diouf said it was ‘crazy’ Disasi had not managed to secure a regular starting spot at Chelsea.
He even went as far as describing the former Monaco as a ‘machine’.
‘The guy is not a small player!’ Diouf told West Ham’s official website about Disasi.
‘He played for Chelsea, so he knows the league.
‘It was crazy he stayed for such a long time and he didn’t play, but when he came here, he showed that he’s a machine!
‘I’m really happy for him. He’s a good defender and I think he helped us a lot.’
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