Chelsea are set to ramp up their efforts to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix as part of their plan to strengthen the defence for the upcoming season. Meanwhile, Trevoh Chalobah could be on his way out, with Serie A side Como showing strong interest in signing him to help finance the move for Lacroix before incoming manager Xabi Alonso officially takes charge.

Chelsea eye new defensive addition

As reported by The Telegraph, Chelsea are ready to advance discussions for Lacroix during the summer transfer window. The Blues are keen to bring in at least one new central defender to compete alongside Levi Colwill, and Lacroix has emerged as their preferred target.

Lacroix has been a key figure at Crystal Palace over the past two seasons, helping the club lift both the FA Cup and the Conference League. He remains under contract for another three years, making Palace well-positioned to demand a substantial fee for his services.

Palace are expecting a formal approach from Chelsea soon, with the London club eager to add proven Premier League experience to their backline. With Alonso due to officially assume managerial duties on July 1, the Chelsea hierarchy are aiming to complete their squad restructuring early.

Como prepare offer for Trevoh Chalobah

In order to part-fund the Lacroix transfer, Chelsea could sanction the sale of Trevoh Chalobah to Italian club Como. Reports from Serie A suggest that Como are preparing a concrete bid for the 24-year-old, who is currently with the England squad at the World Cup following Tino Livramento’s withdrawal.

Como’s head coach, Cesc Fabregas, knows Chalobah well from their playing days together at Stamford Bridge. Although Chelsea are not actively pushing the defender towards an exit, the club are open to offers that meet their valuation. Interestingly, Chalobah previously enjoyed a brief loan spell at Crystal Palace, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the potential negotiations involving Lacroix.

Squad rebuild under Xabi Alonso

The proposed deals for Lacroix and Chalobah are part of a broader overhaul of Chelsea’s squad ahead of the new campaign. The Blues have already offloaded Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid and are close to securing Atalanta’s Marco Palestra.

Palestra’s arrival could pave the way for Malo Gusto to move on, with Manchester City strongly linked to the right-back. In addition, Chelsea remain firmly in contention for Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers, though Arsenal are currently seen as marginal favourites to sign him. These sweeping changes underline Chelsea’s proactive strategy as they gear up for a new era under Alonso.

What lies ahead for Chelsea?

In the coming weeks, Chelsea are expected to formalise their pursuit of Lacroix while awaiting Como’s initial offer for Chalobah. The club faces a busy period as they aim to finalise these defensive reinforcements before Alonso officially begins his tenure. Supporters will be watching closely to see whether these bold moves can translate into immediate success when the new Premier League season gets underway.