'Deal completed' - Fabrizio Romano confirms 'elite' Crystal Palace £18m Deadline Day transfer

Crystal Palace have completed a deal to bring Wolfsburg centre-back Maxence Lacroix to Selhurst Park in a Deadline Day coup.

The Eagles have sold defensive stalwart Joachim Andersen to Fulham for £30 million with England international Marc Guehi a high profile transfer target for Newcastle United. That made a defensive signing a priority and Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has landed his man in what will be a reunion with Lacroix.

Glasner was in charge at Wolfsburg between 2019 and 2021 and signed the French youth international for the club in 2020. Lacroix has gone on to make 130 appearances for the German outfit, which has included Champions League and Europa League experience - he has been labelled 'elite' by Transfermarkt reporter Tobias Kroger during his time at Wolfsburg.

It had emerged this week that Crystal Palace had agreed personal terms with the defender, who is keen to work with Glasner once again, with just final terms between clubs to be settled. With just hours left of the window, an agreement has now been struck and papers signed.

That's according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who took to social media platform X on Friday morning and wrote: "Maxence Lacroix has signed his five year deal as new Crystal Palace player from Wolfsburg on fee worth €21m. Deal completed."

Is is believed that the Eagles had initially hoped to sign the player for £15 million but the Bundesliga outfit have proved difficult to negotiate down with Crystal Palace paying a fee closer to the £20 million mark.

Wolfsburg head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl had previously said he was sure that Lacroix would stay with his side this summer. However, that has not proven to be the case.

Speaking earlier this month, he had said: "He is a player who has taken on a leading role in the team. He is someone who opens his mouth and looks out for his teammates. I know that he will stay."