Crystal Palace are closing in on a season-long loan for Axel Disasi from Chelsea, with Standard Sport reporting that the defender will have a medical at Selhurst Park on Friday. Pierre Sage has made it clear why Palace want him. "We need a player in this department, a player with a lot of games, if possible, in the Premier League. We need players, but we need a leader," he said.
Palace's need at centre-back
The move fits the gap left after Palace sold Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea for £52m earlier this summer. Palace finished 15th in the 2025 season and have taken only one win in their last five competitive matches, so the push for an experienced centre-back is hardly surprising.
Disasi would bring recent top-flight mileage with him. He made 17 appearances for West Ham United and logged over 1,500 minutes in the second half of last season, which is exactly the sort of immediate experience Sage is asking for.
Disasi's Chelsea exit
The Palace deal also marks the next step in Disasi's Chelsea exit. Goal reported that he has not featured for Chelsea since January 2025 and was sent to the club's so-called bomb squad before his West Ham loan. Standard Sport say the move is close to a season-long agreement, but the medical report is still just that, a report.
Chelsea have been willing to move on a defender they are not using, while Palace have been looking for a leader who can step in quickly. If the medical goes ahead on Friday, the rest of the process should move fast, with Palace already preparing for a season-long loan rather than a longer hold-up.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
