Leeds to go all out to strike Axel Disasi deal with Chelsea amid huge Crystal Palace twist
Axel Disasi has been heavily linked with a move to join Leeds United in the January transfer window.
The French centre-back has been part of the ‘bomb squad’ at Chelsea ever since Enzo Maresca’s appointment as manager in the summer of 2024, and his situation hasn’t changed at all under Liam Rosenior.
Football Insider exclusively revealed at the end of December that Leeds are chasing Disasi in the winter window, as they have been keen to offer the defender a way out of Stamford Bridge for the second half of the season.
Daniel Farke’s side have suffered injuries in the backline of late, but with Disasi’s future now potentially about to take a major twist, it is now or never if they want to strike a deal with Chelsea.
Leeds to move quickly to counter Crystal Palace interest
Football Insider revealed at the start of January that Rosenior’s arrival at Chelsea won’t change Disasi’s situation in West London, and he still hasn’t made a Premier League appearance since April.
New managers are typically expected to reset the standing of every individual in a squad back to square one, regardless of what occurred under the previous boss, but that hasn’t been the case with the 27-year-old.
Disasi has only played one game of U21 football for the Blues so far this term, and Crystal Palace are now prepared to offer him an escape as they have him at the “top of their wish list” to replace Marc Guehi on a short-term basis, according to Alan Nixon via his Patreon account.
However, there is doubt over a potential deal at Chelsea’s end, as there is a fear that they may not be able to provide enough regular gametime to justify the move.
That leaves the door open slightly for Leeds to strike a late deal for the defender, but they will need to go all out in their attempts to land Disasi if they are to beat Palace to his signature after this twist.
Axel Disasi deal a huge risk for both interested parties
Chelsea have been planning to offload Disasi for several months now, but they have faced continued issues with trying to convince teams to take him off their hands.
The pair of interested parties in the Premier League will undoubtedly have concerns about the lack of football that the former Monaco man has received since the start of the season.
Disasi will surely have been maintaining his fitness behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge and working with the coaches to get himself ready for a potential return, but there is simply no substitute for match sharpness, and that will be a major concern for other clubs.
Six-month loan deals can often feel like they are about to expire before they have even truly begun, and if Disasi were to be unavailable for selection in the opening few weeks, then there would potentially be little point in anyone even taking him.
Leeds will know that they need to act quickly and decisively if they want to win the race, but they will need to erase any possible doubts if they are to proceed with their pursuit.