(Football news) Chelsea has agreed to buy France defender Axel Disasi from Ligue 1 club Monaco. The 25-year-old is expected to join Stamford Bridge in a deal allegedly worth 45 million pounds (49.58 million USD) and will be another option to cover for injured compatriot Wesley Fofana.
Disasi is anticipated to battle for the centre-back position with Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, and Levi Colwill, while another Frenchman, Benoit Badiashile, is preparing to return from a hamstring injury sustained earlier in the season. Fofana is expected to miss the most of the season following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery in July.
Disasi has four caps and was initially called up for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, making his debut against Tunisia in a 1-0 group stage defeat. Chelsea is hoping to turn things around under new manager Mauricio Pochettino after finishing 12th in the Premier League last season, its lowest place since 1994.
With Fofana sidelined for the season after knee surgery, Chelsea’s central defensive alternatives include Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Benoît Badiashile, and the untested Bashir Humphreys. Badiashile joined from Monaco in January and is familiar with Disasi. Humphreys is expected to be loaned out.
The club is mulling a transfer for Sánchez as they look for a goalie to compete with Kepa Arrizabalaga. Sánchez has fallen out of favour with Roberto De Zerbi, who replaced him with Jason Steele last season, and Brighton may be tempted to sell after signing Anderlecht’s Bart Verbruggen. Chelsea is keeping an eye on the situation and is poised to make a bid for the Spain international.
Mauricio Pochettino wants to buy a custodian this summer, and Chelsea did look into offers for André Onana, who eventually joined Manchester United from Inter, and Mike Maignan of Milan. However, after failing to find a buyer for Arrizabalaga, Chelsea have chosen not to invest heavily on a replacement No. 1. After the sale of Édouard Mendy to Al-Ahli, they are willing to make a compromise by bringing in seasoned cover for the Spaniard.
Marcus Bettinelli, Lucas Bergström, and Jamie Cumming are Arrizabalaga’s opponents. Chelsea is preparing to loan promising American teenager Gabriel Slonina to KAS Eupen in Belgium.
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