Crystal Palace are closing in on the signing of defender Axel Disasi from Chelsea, with the Frenchman due to undergo a medical with the club on Friday ahead of finalizing a season-long loan move.
Chelsea have been eager to move Disasi on this summer as part of their ongoing effort to trim the squad, with the centre-back among those previously grouped into the club's so-called 'bomb squad' of players surplus to requirements. Despite that status, Disasi found no shortage of interest from other clubs after a productive loan spell at West Ham United in the second half of last season, even as the Hammers were ultimately relegated from the Premier League.
Disasi's performances for West Ham prompted the east London club to explore the possibility of turning that loan into a permanent transfer this summer. However, they now appear set to lose out to Crystal Palace, who are preparing for their first season under new head coach Pierre Sage.
Earlier in the transfer window, Disasi had rejected several opportunities to leave Chelsea in January, opting instead to join West Ham on loan. That decision proved beneficial for his career, with his displays for the Hammers restoring his market value and generating fresh suitors ahead of this summer's window.
For Crystal Palace, the addition of Disasi is intended to bolster their options at centre-back following the departure of Maxence Lacroix, who completed a £52 million move to Chelsea earlier this summer. That sale left a gap in Palace's defensive ranks that the club has been looking to fill as pre-season progresses.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Sage was asked directly whether Palace intended to bring in a new centre-back before the transfer window closes. He confirmed that reinforcements in that position remain a priority for his squad.
"Yes. We need a player in this department, a player with a lot of games, if possible, in the Premier League," Sage said.
The head coach went on to stress that experience and leadership were key qualities Palace were seeking in any new arrival, suggesting the club would not rush the process simply to fill a numerical gap.
"We need players, but we need a leader and that's why we need to wait a little bit to find a good one," he added.
When pressed on whether Disasi specifically could be the player fitting that description, Sage declined to confirm the move directly, though he acknowledged awareness of the growing speculation surrounding the Chelsea defender's future.
"He's a player from Chelsea," Sage said. "It is difficult for me to speak about a player of another club, but I hear the same noise as you."
With the medical scheduled for Friday, Palace appear close to completing the loan signing, which would give Disasi the chance to establish himself in the Premier League on a more permanent footing after a turbulent 12 months at Chelsea. The move would also mark another significant piece of business for Palace this summer as they continue reshaping their defensive options following Lacroix's high-profile departure to Stamford Bridge.
For Chelsea, offloading Disasi would represent a further step in manager Enzo Maresca's efforts to streamline a bloated squad, continuing the club's broader strategy of moving on players who fall outside their immediate first-team plans while still recouping value through loan arrangements or permanent sales where possible.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.