Chrislain Matsima agrees Crystal Palace move from Augsburg
Chrislain Matsima has reached a verbal agreement with Crystal Palace over a summer move from FC Augsburg, according to French reports. Personal terms are agreed while fee talks with the Bundesliga club advance, as the Eagles look to replace Maxence Lacroix amid his near-confirmed Chelsea switch.
Key Takeaways
- Chrislain Matsima has verbally agreed personal terms with Crystal Palace, per Foot Mercato.
- Palace and Augsburg are in advanced fee talks; Augsburg have been linked with a fee around £26m.
- The move is tied to Maxence Lacroix’s near-confirmed transfer to Chelsea.
- Matsima, 24, is contracted at Augsburg until July 2030; AS Monaco hold a 15% sell-on share.
- He made 20 appearances last season after a tendon injury and has 48 Bundesliga games since leaving Monaco.
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Has Chrislain Matsima agreed a Crystal Palace transfer?
Yes — on personal terms. Get French Football News reports that FC Augsburg’s Chrislain Matsima (24) has reached a verbal agreement with Crystal Palace, citing Foot Mercato. We Are Palace adds that fee talks between the clubs are advanced, though the final price is not yet confirmed.
Yahoo Sports, citing FussballTransfers, similarly says Matsima has reached a “total agreement” with Palace while club-to-club discussions continue at an advanced stage. Until Augsburg and Palace settle the fee, the transfer is progressing rather than fully completed.
Why does Crystal Palace want Chrislain Matsima now?
Palace are chasing defensive cover as Maxence Lacroix’s exit nears. Reports say Lacroix’s move to Chelsea is all but confirmed for around £60m (over €60m). New coach Pierre Sage wants an immediate replacement for the France international.
Matsima, born in Colombes and developed at AS Monaco, joined Augsburg in summer 2024. Monaco retain a 15% share of any profit from his sale. Augsburg expect a fee that could approach club-record territory — past reports put their asking price near £26m / €26m — and his contract runs until July 2030.
How does Chrislain Matsima compare to Maxence Lacroix?
WhoScored figures cited by We Are Palace show Matsima committed 0.6 fouls per game in the Bundesliga last term, versus one foul per 90 for Lacroix in the Premier League. Matsima also averaged 1.7 interceptions per game against Lacroix’s 1.3.
Aerials are a gap: Matsima won 2.2 successful aerial duels per game in 2025/26, while Lacroix won 3.4 in England’s more physical league. After a serious tendon injury last January, Matsima returned late but still made 20 appearances (19 starts). He has played 48 Bundesliga matches since leaving Monaco and was key when Augsburg’s other centre-backs were unavailable.
Separately, English reports linked Palace with Chelsea’s Axel Disasi, but Fabrizio Romano said Disasi is unwilling to join — leaving Matsima as the reported alternative as talks with Augsburg move quickly.