Chelsea set to face intense competition for €30m-rated French defensive star

Chelsea set to face RB Leipzig competition for Maxence Lacroix

According to Foot Mercato (h/t Mirror), Chelsea are set to face some serious competition in their pursuit of VfL Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix from RB Leipzig.

A product of the FC Sochaux youth academy, Lacroix moved to Wolfsburg only during the last summer transfer window but has quickly established as one among the most promising young defenders in Bundesliga. The 21-year-old featured in 36 games across all competitions for the Wolves last season, scoring and assisting two goals apiece.

This has put Lacroix on the radars of several top clubs across Europe, with Chelsea among those interested in the Frenchman, as per the report.

Chelsea saw Fikayo Tomori complete a permanent transfer to AC Milan earlier this week. In addition to that, there are question marks over the future of fellow defender Kurt Zouma, which has led to manager Thomas Tuchel considering bringing in another central defender this summer. (h/t Mirror)

The fact that Thiago Silva would also be turning 37 and Cesar Azpilicueta isn’t getting any younger either shouldn’t be lost as well. So, bringing in a young and talented defender like Lacroix would actually be a smart move by the Blues. However, they are now set to face stern competition from RB Leipzig in pursuit of the Frenchman.

Indeed, the Bundesliga club have already made an offer worth €18m, which has been knocked back by Wolfsburg, who are holding out for a transfer fee of around €30m for their prized asset. (h/t Mirror)

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Whether RB Leipzig are willing to up their bid to meet Wolfsburg’s asking price for Lacroix remains to be seen. And, as far as Chelsea are concerned, the Blues must act swiftly if they want to stand a chance of signing the talented 21-year-old this summer.