Aston Villa have agreed personal terms with Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, according to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who claims that the Villans have fended off interest from “clubs around Europe” as they take the first steps towards completing their third signing of the January transfer window.
Apparently a one-one-one discussion between Disasi and manager Unai Emery was “crucial” to getting a deal in place between the player and his potential future club, who are desperate for defensive reinforcements following recent injuries and the departure of Diego Carlos.
AC Milan and Napoli were also alleged to be interested in a deal for Disasi, but Villa appear set to beat the Serie A sides to the punch.
Chelsea and Villa still have to reach an agreement before a loan deal, which would run until the end of the season, can be completed.
Journalist Fabrice Hawkins has separately reported that there will be no purchase clause in the deal for the five-time France international, who had been expected to leave Stamford Bridge after Trevoh Chalobah was recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace.
West Ham United and Newcastle have also both been linked with a move for the Blues defender, along with a host of Serie A sides including Juventus, but it appears that Villa look to now be firmly in pole position to get a deal over the line before the transfer window closes on February 3rd.
Disasi joined Chelsea from AS Monaco for a reported £38.5m fee in 2021 but found his minutes restricted after the arrival of Enzo Maresca, who gave the 26-year-old just four Premier League starts.
With Chalobah returning to provide competition for Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill, Disasi, who struggled with consistency after arriving at Stamford Bridge, was allowed to find a new club.
Villa, meanwhile, have been left short-handed at centre-back after experienced Brazilian defender Diego Carlos was sold to José Mourinho’s Fenerbahçe and Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings both picked up injuries.
Torres is expected to be out of action until early March with a foot injury, while Mings will await the results of a scan to determine the extent of a knee injury which forced him to leave the field in the first half of the 1-1 draw with West Ham United on Sunday.
Emery told the media after the game that he did not believe the issue was serious, but even if Mings avoids a length lay-off, the need for reinforcements was abundantly clear.
Lucas Digne filled in at centre-back after Mings was withdrawn on Sunday and struggled to deal with balls into the box, and that worry may have encouraged Villa to accelerate a move for a defender who will at least offer a stopgap option.
The potential signing of Disasi is not expected to mark the end of the Villans’ hunt for defenders, although a bid for Sevilla’s Loïc Badé has “stalled” after an opening offer of around £22m was rebuffed by the Spanish side, while Villa also struggled to agree personal terms with the 24-year-old.
Villa have also been linked with Villarreal and former Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth, who played under Emery in La Liga, and it is believed that long-term competition for Torres, Mings and Ezri Konsa, who is now the only fit, recognised centre-back in the first-team squad, remains a priority.
Disasi could become Villa’s third purchase of the month, following the arrivals of Dutch international winger Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund and 21-year-old right-back Andrés Garcia from Levante.
