Maxance Lacroix has officially become a Chelsea player. He is the third new signing of the Xabi Alonso era, not counting four deals agreed before the Spaniard's appointment.
Chelsea spent £52 million on Lacroix. This means that the London club has already invested over £200 million in players who have arrived following Alonso's appointment. The transfer of Morgan Rogers cost a record £117 million, while £47 million was paid for Marco Palestra.
Dastan Satpaev's transfer involved a modest fee, while Denner moved from Corinthians. It is expected that Emmanuel Emega cost just over £20 million, and the expenses on Giovanni Kenda are comparable to the amount paid for Palestra.
Below is a ranking of seven new acquisitions by Chelsea this summer. At the time of writing, transfers for Jordan Henderson, Valentina Barco, and Danny Welbeck have not yet been officially confirmed.
7. Denner
It is believed that considering bonuses, Chelsea spent around £11 million on Denner. The young Brazilian joined from Corinthians and is expected to join the reserve team. However, he has not yet been seen in action.
Of all seven newcomers, he is expected to have the least impact on the first team. It would not be a surprise if Denner is sent out on loan soon, even if the club needs a new left-back.
6. Emmanuel Emega
Chelsea and Strasbourg agreed on Emega's transfer before the Dutchman got injured. The transfer fee is estimated to be around £23 million. The question arises: did the team really need another striker of this profile?
He scored goals against Crawley and Bromley but missed the tour in Australia due to injury. The upcoming arrival of Danny Welbeck suggests that Xabi Alonso is not overly confident in Emega.
5. Dastan Satpaev
Satpaev is not yet officially a Chelsea player. He is 17 years old, and the club cannot confirm his transfer until he turns 18 in two weeks. This is why the star from Kazakhstan was listed as a trialist in the match against Western Sydney Wanderers.
But this looks like an excellent signing. As a newcomer, he scored the team's first goal in a match that ended with a 6-4 win. This transfer cost approximately £4 million. Alonso was aware of him before the transfer, and the lad has immense potential.
4. Giovanni Kenda
Kenda recently placed ninth in the list of the best teenage football talents worldwide (Estevao came in second). However, the Londoners spent a considerable amount on the Portuguese talent — over £40 million.
After signing, he, like Emmega, suffered an injury while on loan at Sporting. It remains to be seen if he has what it takes to compete with Estevao and Pedro Neto on the right flank and whether he can justify the investment.
3. Marco Palestra
This is a genuinely quality signing. Chelsea secured the deal for right-back from Atalanta for £47 million, beating AC Milan to his signature. There is a great deal of excitement surrounding him, not least because of his phenomenal speed on the wing.
The best defender in Serie A for the 2025/26 season has much to prove after a successful year in the top division on loan at Cagliari. However, Palestra is a real gem with enormous potential.
2. Morgan Rogers
The signing of Rogers sent a clear signal across the Premier League. No one expected Chelsea to outpace Arsenal in the race for this player, but they did.
The club paid a record £117 million, making Rogers the most expensive Englishman in history. He carries a huge weight of responsibility. He must deliver outstanding performances, and he simply cannot afford to make mistakes.
1. Maxance Lacroix
In today's transfer market, where Jan Paul van Hecke is valued at over £50 million, acquiring Lacroix for £52 million is an astonishing deal. He is a ready-made, proven Premier League player entering his prime.
At the end of last season, the centre-back position was the team’s main issue. But with the return of Levi Colwill and the signing of Lacroix at a very favourable price, Chelsea now boasts one of the best centre-back duos in the Premier League.
