English Premier League (EPL) club Chelsea has signed French national team defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.

Chelsea announced through the club's official website that they have signed a long-term contract with Lacroix until 2032.

While the club did not disclose the specific financial details of the transfer, the British BBC reported that the transfer fee amounts to 52 million pounds, which is approximately 99.8 billion won in Korean currency.

Lacroix left German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg to wear the Crystal Palace jersey in 2024 for a base transfer fee of 15.5 million pounds, and emerged as a key defender for the team last season.

He made 55 appearances across all competitions last season, contributing to Crystal Palace winning the UEFA Europa Conference League, the first major European trophy in the club's history.

Having earned 7 caps for the French national team, Lacroix also featured in 3 matches at the recently concluded 2026 North and Central America World Cup, including the third-place playoff against England.

Lacroix stated through the club, "Watching players like Reece James and Morgan Rogers, I am truly thrilled to be able to write a page in Chelsea's history together with them."

He added, "I am proud and happy to be part of this beautiful journey, and I can't wait to play on the pitch. I am very excited to meet my new teammates and the manager and start the season. There is a story for us to write here, and it is wonderful that I can be a part of it."

(Photo: Captured from club website, Yonhap News)