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Crystal Palace have reached the kind of moment ambitious clubs eventually face.

When you recruit well and a player performs above expectations, bigger clubs start circling.

That is now the situation with Maxence Lacroix, who has quickly become one of Palace’s most important defenders.

The French centre-back has attracted attention from several clubs, including Liverpool and Chelsea, but Palace are not looking at the situation passively.

Instead of waiting for offers to arrive, the club are understood to be considering improved terms for Lacroix as they try to make him feel valued and protected from outside interest, according to TEAMtalk.

Lacroix is getting attention from top English clubs

Lacroix’s reputation has grown sharply. He is no longer just a smart signing from the Bundesliga.

He is being valued in the region of £50 million, and that tells you how much his reputation has grown in England.

He is now being viewed as a defender capable of playing at a higher level, and that is exactly why Palace need to be careful.

Lacroix has given Palace something every modern team wants in a centre-back: speed, aggression, recovery pace and confidence in possession.

He is not just a defender who sits deep and clears crosses. He can play in a higher defensive line, cover space behind him and deal with quick attackers in one-on-one situations.

That type of profile is valuable, especially in the Premier League. Clubs like Liverpool and Chelsea are always searching for centre-backs who can handle space, defend transitions and still look comfortable when building from the back.

Lacroix fits that mould, which explains why his name is now being discussed beyond Selhurst Park.

But this is where Palace’s response matters. In the past, clubs like Palace were often seen as stepping-stone sides.

Crystal Palace are ready to make a statement

A player would perform well for one or two seasons, a bigger club would arrive, and the move would feel almost inevitable. Palace need to push against that idea if they want to keep growing.

Offering Lacroix a pay rise would not just be about rewarding one player. It would be about setting a standard.

It would tell the squad that if you perform, the club will look after you. It would also tell interested clubs that Palace are not desperate sellers.

There is also a football reason to keep him. Replacing Lacroix would be extremely difficult. Palace could receive a big fee, but then what?

They would have to find another defender with pace, physicality, Premier League suitability and the ability to improve further.

That is not easy, and it probably would not be cheap either.

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The post Crystal Palace set to agree massive deal with £50m-rated defender appeared first on CaughtOffside.