4 things Axel Disasi will offer Chelsea after signing a five-year deal with the club
Chelsea are close to completing the signing of Axel Disasi from Monaco. As reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the West London club has agreed to a €45 million deal with the French club for the Frenchman, and he will pen a five-year deal with the club.
The Blues had to rope in the French defender after an injury to Wesley Fofana. The Chelsea No. 33 suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and will be ruled out for most of the season. Disasi has been brought in to replace his countryman as well as bolster the center-back options.
The 25-year-old will become the club's third major signing of the summer after Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson. He is one of the highly-rated young defenders in Europe and was a part of France's squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup where he made three appearances.
Without further ado, this article will highlight four things the former Monaco defender will offer Chelsea ahead of his €45 million move to Stamford Bridge.
#4 Versatility and leadership qualities
Disasi will offer Chelsea versatility. The big, strong, and powerful defender is primarily a right center-back but can also be deployed as a right-back if need be. He has also featured intermittently in this position for the France national team. As a right-back, he possesses a natural intuition that aids in the team's offensive efforts.
Additionally, the 25-year-old is not bereft of leadership qualities. He was the vice-captain at AS Monaco prior to his move to Stamford Bridge. Having him on the Chelsea team is a huge advantage, especially considering their recent loss of experienced players and team leaders.
#3 Goalscoring center-back
Another thing the Frenchman will offer Chelsea is goals. Football has evolved, with defenders not only stopping attacks that could lead to goals but also contributing to the team's offense by scoring goals.
A goalscoring defender is a huge plus to any team. Last term, Disasi registered six goals and four assists in 49 games for AS Monaco. In 129 games for Les Rouge et Blanc across three seasons, he scored 12 goals and four assists, which is an average of four goals per season.
#2 Consistency
A look at Disasi's appearance statistics and injury records shows that the new Chelsea star rarely gets injured which makes him a consistent figure in the squad. Last season, he featured in all 49 of Monaco's league and cup games, playing almost every single minute.
His injury record also shows that the France international has not suffered any major injury for the past couple of seasons which could be a reason why the club opted for him. One reason why Chelsea performed woefully last season was inconsistency due to injuries.
The Blues never featured the same starting XI throughout the campaign as players were always in and out of the team. Defenders Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Beniot Badiashile, and Thiago Silva were sidelined at one point or the other during the season which affected the balance of the team defensively.
Disasi, a less injury-prone and fitter player, will provide consistency and balance in the heart of defense for Mauricio Pochettino's team. In just three seasons with AS Monaco, he made 129 appearances which is a clear indication of his exceptional fitness level.
#1 Long-term replacement for Thiago Silva
While it can be easily cited that the club went for Disasi as a fix for the injured Fofana, the 25-year-old is also a long-term replacement for the aging Thiago Silva. The Brazilian, 38, is in the final months of his contract which expires at the end of the upcoming season.
Silva will most likely exit Stamford Bridge after the 2023-24 season and Disasi will be the right man to fill his shoes when the time comes. He could also learn a lot from the experienced Brazilian on the pitch as well as in the dressing room.