Axel Disasi frontrunners 'named' as West Ham battle Crystal Palace for transfer
West Ham United will find it extremely difficult to beat Crystal Palace to the signing of Axel Disasi this summer.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Eagles are in the driving seat to secure the Chelsea centre-back.
The Frenchman has no future at Stamford Bridge, and is increasingly likely to depart on a permanent basis before the 3 September transfer deadline.
West Ham have been keen to sign the 28-year-old all summer after his successful loan spell, but Wyness believes that he still sees himself as a Premier League player.
Disasi is keen to revitalise his career at the top-level with his next move, and Palace are better placed to provide that after the Hammers’ relegation.
Wyness emphasised that the Eagles need to shore up their defensive options in the coming weeks, and he sees a move for Disasi as the perfect way to achieve that.
Axel Disasi has no interest in Championship move
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Disasi will have no interest in playing Championship football next season.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have emerged as the strong early favourites to secure an instant return to the Premier League, but that is unlikely to be enough to tempt Disasi to return to the London Stadium.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained why Selhurst Park is the most likely destination for the defender.
“Look, he had a good end to last season, and he helped West Ham certainly in terms of the close fight at the end it came down to,” he said.
“They had a good spell at the end of the season, and I think he was part of that in helping to shore up the defence. Everybody said that he was a better player than Chelsea had given him credit for.
“But, I think he's going to end up at Palace. I think he'll want to stay in the Premier League. He's a Premier League player, and Palace need that defence shoring up as well, and I think he fits the bill well.
“I'm afraid I don't see him spending his time in the Championship. I think he'll be potentially a permanent signing over at Palace.”
West Ham to make ‘promises’ to Troy Parrott
Former West Ham scout Mick Brown told Football Insider earlier this week that Nuno and Co. are prepared to make significant promises in a bid to convince Troy Parrott to join them this summer.
The Irish striker is on the radar of several clubs across Europe after an eye-catching season saw him net 31 goals in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar in 2026-27.
Brown believes that his former club will try to convince Parrott that he would be a figurehead of their project, and emphasise their desire to secure an instant return to the Premier League.
However, the ex-recruitment man still believes that a move for Parrott will be “very difficult,” as he does not expect him to be willing to do a year in the Championship.