Maxence again, olé olé. The Frenchman has already been linked with several clubs during the 2026/27 summer transfer window, and for pretty good reason. Simply put, he’s a f*cking man mountain with Akinfenwa’s strength, yet he’s somehow still faster than the Brighton fans abandoning the Amex after we smashed them 3-1 in 2024/25.

Now, on a serious note, Crystal Palace are reportedly seeking more than £55 / 60 million for the talented defender. I’m pretty much going to use this article to explain why any opposition fan claiming that valuation is daylight robbery is an idiot.

THE TRANSFER MARKET IS A MESS…

The first thing we’ve got to consider is the absolute state of the transfer market, thanks largely to the ‘big six’ clubs.

Arguably the best opening example is Van Hecke’s move to Tottenham Hotspur, with North London’s backup club paying £52 million for him.

To be fair, Van Hecke is, as far as Brighton players go, one of the slightly less useless ones. But with only one year remaining on his contract, how have the scum managed to earn such a fee?

For context, Maxence Lacroix has three years remaining on his Crystal Palace contract, and I don’t imagine he’s aggressively pushing for a move in a way that would negatively impact his valuation.

It’s also not as if Van Hecke is going to have more long-term resale value. They’re the same age, and Lacroix is clearly the better player of the two, in my honest opinion.*

In recent years, the cost of centre-backs has increased dramatically. At worst, £55 million for Lacroix is a fair valuation, although I personally think he’s worth slightly more.

MAXENCE LACROIX’S PROFILE IS RARE:

It also needs to be considered that the profile Maxence Lacroix offers is increasingly rare in modern football, and his attributes are highly sought after.

As we all know, the simplest way to describe Lacroix is scarily big and strong, scarily aggressive, and scarily fast.

Having those three qualities in one player is a massive deal. Lacroix possesses valuable recovery speed that many other physically imposing defenders simply don’t have.

That pace allows him to step up proactively, make interceptions and play effectively in a high defensive line, which is something Chelsea are expected to do under Xabi Alonso this season.

Lacroix simply offers qualities that most centre-backs don’t possess, while also being in his prime and having three years remaining on his deal with South London’s pride.

I think a fee in excess of £55 / 60 million is a fair request, especially when you consider Chelsea’s complete lack of giving a shit when it comes to spending money.

SUMMARY:

Obviously, I hope he stays, and it would be a massive shame to see Max leave Selhurst Park.

However, when assessing Maxence Lacroix’s transfer valuation, he is comfortably worth more than Van Hecke and comfortably worthy of that £55 / 60 million price tag.

Whether he actually departs, I’m unsure. I think there’s still a chance he stays with us.

Crystal Palace have already demonstrated that we’re willing to play hardball, as shown during the Guehi-to-Newcastle transfer saga, and Lacroix genuinely seems to love this club.

That said, it’s difficult to turn down Xabi Alonso, and Chelsea are always prepared to spend money. Personally, I think they’d be foolish not to pay up.

How much would you want to see Lacroix leave us? – Comment below or in the OURCPFC Fanzone