Liverpool join Chelsea and Bayern in the race for Maxence Lacroix. With Konate set for a free transfer exit, the Palace star’s 35.9km/h pace has caught the eye
The summer transfer window hasn’t even swung open yet, but the Liverpool recruitment machine is already whirring and if the latest whispers are to be believed, Richard Hughes and the Anfield hierarchy might be looking toward South London for their next defensive reinforcement.
Liverpool’s need for a centre-back this summer is no longer a maybe it’s a must. With Ibrahima Konate seemingly destined to depart on a free transfer, a significant void is opening up in the heart of the Reds backline.
While the club have already moved to bring in the promising Jeremy Jacquet, there is an acute awareness that relying solely on potential isn’t the Liverpool way experience is required.
For a while, the eyes of the scouting department were fixed firmly on the Continent. Nico Schlotterbeck has long been admired, but with the German international reportedly closing in on a new deal at Borussia Dortmund, that door looks to be slamming shut.
Similarly, Alessandro Bastoni remains a high-calibre option, but with Barcelona now circling the Inter Milan man, the Reds are having to pivot to Maxence Lacroix.
The evolution of a target
Liverpool’s interest in the Frenchman isn’t exactly new. The club were linked with him during his Wolfsburg days before he ultimately made the switch to Crystal Palace in 2024. Since arriving in the Premier League, Lacroix has undergone the kind of transformation that gets scouts excited.
He’s no longer just a prospect. He is a battle-hardened Premier League starter and, as of last Thursday, a fully-fledged France international following his debut in the victory over Brazil.
Why Lacroix fits
The logic behind a move for the 25-year-old is concrete. Liverpool are to successfully rotate the likes of Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni, they need a defender who can handle the physical demands of a high line.
- Recovery pace: Lacroix is, quite simply, a speed merchant. He clocked a top speed of 35.9km/h against Newcastle in January faster than even former Reds target Antoine Semenyo.
- Pedigree: He played a pivotal role in Palace’s FA Cup triumph last season, proving he can handle the pressure of the big occasion.
- Availability: While Palace are “braced” for interest, every player has a price, and Liverpool’s relationship with domestic rivals has often seen them strike clinical deals.
Of course, Liverpool aren’t the only ones who have noticed Lacroix’s upward trajectory. Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Bayern Munich are all reportedly “tracking” his progress. It’s a familiar story for the Reds: identify a target, only to find the rest of Europe’s elite standing in the same queue.
Whether Lacroix becomes the priority or remains a contingency plan depends on how the Schlotterbeck and Bastoni situations resolve themselves. But as Konate prepares to pack his bags, the need for a pacy, proven replacement is becoming urgent.
Lacroix fits the profile. Now, it’s a question of whether the Reds are ready to pull the trigger.
