Axel Disasi is set to depart Chelsea on loan to join Premier League rivals Aston Villa and has agreed personal terms with the club.
The French international will become another member of the first team to depart in the January transfer window, joining Villa until the end of the season as they seek to bolster their defence.
The 26-year-old was signed from AS Monaco last season for the reported sum of approximately £38.8 million. However, after only a season and a half, the Blues may be willing to allow to him leave the club on loan.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano via a post on his X page, confirmed this. The post stated that Disasi was interested in a move away from Chelsea this January.
The post also indicated that Disasi has agreed personal terms with the Villans. He is said to be prioritizing a move to Villa despite other clubs showing interest in him. A follow-up post reported that Aston Villa had entered talks with Chelsea to finalize a loan deal for Disasi.
Playing Time a Viable Reason for Disasi Wanting the Move
Disasi’s motivation in seeking a move may lie in his desire for increased playing time. The 26-year-old was signed by Chelsea last season and under the then-Blues boss, Mauricio Pochettino, he featured regularly.
The Frenchman featured 31 times in the league and 44 times in all competitions. He averaged a decent return of goals for a centre-back too, netting three times.
From Starter to Squad Player
However, Pochettino was sacked by the Blues at the end of the season and Enzo Maresca was appointed. Under the new coach, Disasi has found playing time much harder to come by.
He has been a peripheral figure in the Blues first team, mainly featuring in the UEFA Conference League and in the cups with only six appearances in the Premier League.
He has featured 11 more times across other competitions bringing his total number of appearances to 17. He is currently behind Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, and the recalled Trevor Chalobah in the pecking order
Even with Wesley Fofana injured, there is no space in the heart of defence. It is a similar story at right back. Disasi is versatile enough to play at right-back and has indeed featured there for the Blues.
However, Malo Gusto was ahead of him in the position. And with club captain Reece James having returned from injury, there is no space for Disasi there as well.
This may well be the reason why he is seeking the move to Villa.