Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix talks over facing Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland

Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix is considered one of the up-and-coming center-backs in the Bundesliga.

By vaulting into the status, however, Lacroix’s performance is often weighed heavily against how is able to combat players like Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.

Both players present their own brand of issues for any defender, but Lacroix thinks he would rather line up across from Lewandowski than Haaland.

“[Erling] Haaland is very good. I also have huge respect for [Robert] Lewandowski. When I played against him, he was very, very good. But I think Haaland is the future. I don’t know whether he will stay in the Bundesliga or go elsewhere but he is very good,” said Lacroix to Bundesliga.com. “I think I would prefer to play against Lewandowski because Haaland is just so powerful. You have to be fully concentrated when you play against him. They’re different kinds of players, but both extremely good.”

No matter who he faces, Lacroix looks to be formidable presence himself — and some top level clubs have noticed. It will be interesting to see if Wolfsburg can keep Lacroix out of the crosshairs of rumored suitors like Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, RB Leipzig, and Real Madrid.