Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly has questioned the club's £52m transfer for Maxence Lacroix, insisting Xabi Alonso needs a player with 'more experience' at the heart of his defence. Lacroix informed Crystal Palace of his desire to seek a fresh challenge at the end of last season, and Chelsea quickly made their interest known in the 26-year-old centre-back.
Deal Details
Talks progressed rapidly over the last fortnight, with Lacroix eager to push through a switch across London. The two clubs have reportedly agreed on a £52 million transfer fee for the France international. Lacroix, who made three appearances for France at the World Cup, is expected to sign a six-year contract with Chelsea, tying him to the club until 2032. He follows Geovany Quenda, Marco Palestra, and Morgan Rogers through the doors at Stamford Bridge in what has been a productive start to the transfer window for the Blues.
Desailly's Concerns
Speaking to football.london on behalf of SportsCasting, ex-Chelsea captain Desailly described his fellow countryman as a 'decent signing' for Alonso's squad. 'I think that Maxence Lacroix would be a decent signing for Chelsea,' Desailly said. 'I don't want to criticise the player, I would just say that yes, it's a good move for the club. Alonso likes to play with three at the back. He wants to implement his ideas and his philosophy with a back three. I think it's a good move for him and a good move for Chelsea. Lacroix is an international player, playing in a magnificent team that Didier Deschamps has assembled. I cannot criticise an international player who has represented France at the World Cup.'
But while Desailly stopped short of criticising Lacroix, he suggested Chelsea ideally needed a far more 'established' centre-back to 'lead the defence'. 'Is he what Chelsea really needs?' he asked. 'I actually think they need a centre-back with more experience, a player that is already established and can come in and lead the defence. We need a real experienced leader at the heart of the defence. Don't ask me for a name; it is Alonso and the club's job to find the correct player that matches his philosophy. It's a good move for Lacroix, but I really want to see them target a player who has played at an elite level for a similar-sized club as Chelsea, with similar pressures, not a player from a smaller club than Chelsea.'
Morris Adds Doubts
Desailly is not alone in having reservations about Chelsea's bid to sign Lacroix, with the Frenchman's former team-mate Jody Morris revealing his own doubts about the move this week. 'I thought Lacroix did great for Crystal Palace last year in a back three, but playing for Palace and Chelsea are two different things,' the ex-Chelsea midfielder told BOYLE Sports. 'I didn't think he played well for France. I was telling my friends that I would be interested to see how he does in a back four, because I've only ever seen him in a three. He had a very poor game against Spain and I didn't think he was great against England either, where they conceded six goals.' Morris added: 'He could suit the team, but I'm intrigued to see how Alonso sets us up. I hope he doesn't perform like that all the time if we are going for him.'
