Xabi Alonso is aiming to make his second Chelsea signing and is already in talks with a France World Cup star.
Xabi Alonso has made a great start to rebuilding Chelsea, quickly spotting one key area that needs improvement. At the top of his list is a talented French World Cup star.
With lots of options in midfield and attack, Alonso has already picked eight players he wants to keep and is planning to bring in new players around them. His job got trickier when Marc Cucurella left, leading more players to think about moving on. Malo Gutso is also likely to leave, which clears the way for Alonso’s first signing — 21-year-old Italian right-back Marco Palestra, who is set to join Chelsea soon.
Now, Alonso is focusing on strengthening the defense to fit his favorite 3-4-2-1 formation. Fixing the center-back problem is a big priority, and he has his eye on Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix to lead the new defense.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says the 26-year-old defender is Chelsea’s top target this summer and could be Alonso’s second signing. Lacroix has impressed since joining Palace for just £15 million and helped them win three trophies. His strong play even earned him a spot in the competitive French World Cup team, beating out other top Premier League defenders.
No fee has been agreed on yet, but Lacroix’s value is around £40 million, according to Transfermarkt. If this doesn’t work out, Chelsea will look at young Spanish center-back Jacobo Ramón from Como.
To make room in the squad, England World Cup player Trevoh Chalobah might leave too, possibly moving to Italy like Fikayo Tomori. Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, has shown interest, and Inter Milan is watching as well. There might even be a swap deal involving Ramón and Chalobah, but Lacroix remains the top choice.
However, all these changes could be affected if Chelsea lose their captain and key midfielder Enzo Fernández, as there are ongoing talks about his future.