Crystal Palace's asking price for Maxence Lacroix revealed as Chelsea prepare bid for France defender

According to The Times, Crystal Palace have slapped a £55m price tag on Lacroix as Chelsea intensify their pursuit of the French international defender. The 26-year-old has become a cornerstone of the Eagles' defence since his arrival from Wolfsburg two years ago, and his performances have not gone unnoticed by the Premier League's elite. Palace are in a strong negotiating position, with the player still having three years remaining on his £60,000-a-week contract at Selhurst Park.

The London club are using recent market trends to justify their lofty valuation of the centre-back. Having seen Jan Paul van Hecke and Luka Vuskovic move for more than £50m apiece, Palace believe that Lacroix should command at least £55m.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are looking to sell Axel Disasi permanently, having already loaned him out to both Aston Villa and West Ham over the past 18 months. Former Palace loanee Trevoh Chalobah could also depart Stamford Bridge, with Italian side Como said to be interested in his signature.

The Blues have already strengthened their defensive options this summer with the £43 million addition of Marco Palestra from Atalanta, as they continue to reshape the squad under Alonso.

While Crystal Palace are holding out for a top fee, they appear to be making contingency plans for a potential departure. The club has already moved to secure the services of former Barcelona star Oscar Mingueza on a free transfer to provide depth to their defensive ranks and is also showing interest in Augsburg's Chrislain Matsima.

The potential sale of Lacroix would represent another significant profit for Palace, continuing their trend of developing talent and selling for premium prices – a pattern already seen with the departures of Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze in recent windows.

Lacroix is set to start for France against England in Saturday's World Cup third-place play-off, stepping in for the injured Arsenal defender William Saliba. The centre-back could find himself lining up opposite his former Palace defensive partner Guehi, who was sold to Manchester City in January.