Crystal Palace should rekindle old interest in Wolfsburg's Maxence Lacroix if Guehi quits

By Alessandro Schiavone in Brussels

Anderlecht 2-1 VFL Wolfsburg

Maxence Lacroix looked and played like someone who has the hump over still being at Wolfsburg amid dwindling interest from elite league clubs in his services.

Crystal Palace were once hot on the 24-year old centre-back's heels and could revive their interest in the Frenchman should Marc Guehi depart.

And today he showed exactly why the likes of AC Milan were looking at him before his alarming slump in form in the second part of the campaign at the Volkswagen club.

Playing on the right side of a three-man defence he won all his duels in the first 45 minutes. On one occasion, he even impressively beat a pacy winger like Francis Amuzu to a well-weighted pass in behind which will have been appreciated by former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.  And his ability to exert his authority and power on the opposition by legitimate means struck.

Superior in their organization and passing, Wolfsburg both unbalanced and put Belgium's record champions under pressure in transition in the first period.

And it took the Germans only 14 minutes to take the lead when former Union Saint Gilloise rival Mohammed Amoura, booed throughout, slotted past Colin Coosemans in on goal.

But Lacroix remained calm whatever Anderlecht threw up. And it's pretty telling that the men in green crumbled to a 2-1 defeat after Hasenhuttl hook him on 63 minutes.

Kasper Dolberg tied the game with a clinical finish minuted later before Wolfsburg were laid out by Angulo's sucker punch from a Yari Verschaeren cutback.

Palace, managed by former Bundesliga manager Oliver Glasner, know where to look if they are to cash in on wantaway Guehi.

Lacroix is the perfect partner for Joachim Andersen as he can defend high up the pitch with space in his back, excels in one-v-ones and clearly knows when to drop off or get tight.

And with one year left on his deal, now is the right time for Wolfsburg to cash in on him, meaning he won't command a fee north of  £15million for interested parties.

Which is an absolute bargain on the basis of what he showed in Brussels yesterday.