Chelsea’s defence has been suspect all season. But things have gotten worse in recent weeks under Liam Rosenior. They have been far too open at the back and look like conceding almost every time the opposition is on a fast break. It is no wonder that the Blues shipped eight goals over two legs against PSG and conceded thrice against Everton as well.
It is quite clear that Chelsea need to tighten things at the back. They have been calling out for a quality centre-back since Levi Colwill suffered an ACL injury.
Not too long ago, the Chelsea management had seemed desperate to find Trevoh Chalobah a permanent exit. Now, he finds himself as a starter. Wesley Fofana has been fit for the most part, but no longer seems like the player we saw at Leicester City after so many serious injuries since joining the Blues. Josh Acheampong is not getting enough chances. Jorrel Hato needs more time. And the likes of Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo don’t seem good enough.
Chelsea could do with a bit of recovery pace at centre-back. Someone who can get back quickly when the defence seems exposed on the counter. How often have we seen the Blues concede goals like that recently? Interestingly, it looks they have their eyes on the fastest central defender in the Premier League.
Chelsea eyeing move for Crystal Palace centre-back
Most Chelsea fans would have been happy to see the club sign Marc Guehi before he moved to Manchester City. Now, it appears that the Blues have a different Crystal Palace centre-back on their radar.
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Aston Villa are all monitoring Maxence Lacroix closely. Bayern Munich are also said to be tracking his progress.
Lacroix has been clocked at 35.39 km/h this season. That makes him the quickest centre-back in the Premier League right now. Also, he has gotten his break at the international level with France, which is a proof of how well he has been doing and enhanced his reputation further.
Is Maxence Lacroix the centre-back Liam Rosenior needs right now?
This is not the first time Chelsea are being linked with a move for Lacroix. He has been on their radar for quite some time now, going back to his days with Wolfsburg.
Going for Lacroix would mark a slight shift in strategy for BlueCo as well. The French centre-back is 25 years of age and he has a decent bit of Premier League experience under his belt. So, he would not be the wonderkid signing they have constantly made.
Lacroix’s contract with Chelsea is believed to run until the summer of 2029 though. Also, several other top clubs are monitoring him as well. So, signing him would not be straightforward for Chelsea.
