A Chelsea outcast personally scouted by Mark Noble has broken his silence on why he turned down a late move to West Ham on deadline day.
West Ham and Chelsea held transfer talks over a host of players during the summer window.
The Hammers were linked with moves to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Trevoh Chalobah, Carney Chukwuemeka, Djorde Petrovic, Robert Sanchez and Axel Disasi.
West Ham being interested in Chelsea players should perhaps be no great surprise given Graham Potter is their former manager.
Not to mention the fact the Hammers paid the Blues £1.2m in January to reunite Kyle Macaulay with Potter as West Ham’s new head of recruitment.
That move came after West Ham chief David Sullivan decided to sack technical director Tim Steidten.
It may seem like a distant memory but, prior to Steidten, it was actually Mark Noble who was appointed as sporting director with a view to playing a big role in recruitment.
Noble quickly realised his true West Ham calling
The Hammers legend returned to the club after retirement and immediately set about making connections with other sporting directors at clubs across Europe.
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West Ham boldly stated Noble would ‘work closely in support of the manager, as well as working with the Board of Directors, providing input, advice, and assistance across all aspects of the football operation’.
The announcement also said Noble would play a key role in transfers, both in terms of recruitment and helping new arrivals settle in.
“Noble’s role will include Academy development, player recruitment, and player and staff wellbeing – with a particular focus on ensuring players both progressing through the ranks and new to the club are nurtured in the West Ham United football philosophy and values,” West Ham said in a statement at the time.
One visit to see Paul Mitchell at Monaco resulted in Noble identifying one player in particular he felt the Hammers should sign.
West Ham sporting director Mark Noble with former technical director Tim Steidten
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
He was invited by Mitchell to watch Monaco vs PSG and he was very impressed with centre-back Axel Disasi.
So impressed in fact Noble flagged Disasi to the Hammers board.
However, West Ham did not sign Disasi and he went on to join London rivals Chelsea instead.
After only six months in the role of recruitment, Noble quickly realised his calling was elsewhere.
The Hammers hero transitioned to focus on the Academy and becoming a bridge between West Ham’s emerging talent, the first team and the board.
As the transfer window wound to a close, though, it seems the Hammers made their move for Disasi – two-and-a-half years on from Noble’s recommendation.
Chelsea outcast Disasi explains why he snubbed West Ham
Disasi has struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge and was linked with a move to the London Stadium before the window closed.
Now the Chelsea outcast Noble wanted to sign explains why he snubbed West Ham on deadline day.
West Ham were pushing to sign a new centre-back on deadline day.
It has emerged the Hammers failed with moves for Charlie Cresswell and Taylor Harwood-Bellis after making derisory loan offers.
West Ham signed Igor Julio on loan from Brighton on the last day of the window.
But that was only after moves for Cresswell, Harwood-Bellis and Disasi failed.
Axel Disasi during Southampton FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
Now the French defender, who spent time on loan at Aston Villa last season, has revealed why he did not want to join West Ham.
There were claims that Disasi had no interest in moving to the Hammers.
It seems those rumours were true and the reason was, rather ironically, Monaco – where Noble first flagged him as a player West Ham should sign.
Disasi admits West Ham were trying to sign him right up until the last knockings of the window.
But after hearing his old club Monaco were also interested, Disasi told Chelsea to turn down approaches from West Ham and Bournemouth.
Disasi: ‘I insisted right until the last minute’
“During the period between the approaches from Bournemouth and West Ham, Monaco comes up… and there, you get me in my feelings,” Disasi told Carre.
“Monaco, where I spent three incredible years, when they came up (as being interested), all my memories came flooding back. Monaco is home.
“I hoped that Chelsea would find a solution so I could go on loan. I insisted right up to the last minute to go to Monaco (not West Ham or Bournemouth).”
More fool Disasi, because in the end he could not move due to Chelsea then hitting loan limits.
Now Disasi is stuck at Stamford Bridge, where he is essentially part of Enzo Maresca’s bomb squad.
Surely West Ham would have been better than reserve team football?
Eyes in east London will now turn to whether West Ham’s alternative Igor can hit it off in east London.
At least the Brazilian actually wants to be at West Ham – and that is half the battle sometimes.