West Ham United News_v1
Axel Disasi to West Ham: West Ham United have stepped up their bid to bring Axel Disasi back on a permanent deal, with Chelsea now placing a £25 million valuation on the French centre-back. Sky Sports journalist Jamie Weir, via Transfer Feed, reports that Chelsea have made Disasi available after deciding he no longer has a place in Xabi Alonso’s plans at Stamford Bridge. The London club want a permanent sale rather than another temporary exit.
Weir added that Disasi may have waited before making any decision because he hoped another Premier League side would enter the race. That situation leaves fresh talks over his future on the agenda. West Ham already know exactly what they would be getting after the 28-year-old spent the second half of last season with the club. Chelsea, meanwhile, appear ready to complete business once their asking price arrives.
Axel Disasi to West Ham could solve Nuno’s biggest issue
Nuno Espírito Santo needs certainty at the heart of his defence. Right now, he doesn’t have enough of it.
Jean-Clair Todibo and Konstantinos Mavropanos continue to attract transfer interest, leaving Maximilian Kilman as the only senior centre-back with real security. That isn’t an ideal position before a long Championship campaign, where physical battles arrive every single week.
Disasi already understands the dressing room, the coaching staff and the demands placed upon him. That removes the adjustment period every manager worries about. Across the 2025/26 league season, he played 14 matches, completed 1,255 minutes, helped record six clean sheets and posted an 87% passing accuracy. He didn’t score or register an assist, yet those numbers never defined his contribution.
His biggest strength comes without the ball. Disasi produced 88 clearances during those 14 league appearances, repeatedly dealing with crosses, second balls and sustained pressure inside his own area. Nuno’s system asks defenders to stay disciplined, dominate aerial duels and begin attacks with calm distribution. Disasi already showed he can perform every one of those tasks.
A £25 million fee will raise eyebrows for a Championship club. Even so, the reported agreement in principle includes a clause allowing him to leave if promotion isn’t achieved, reducing the financial risk. Crystal Palace have entered the picture with a competing loan offer carrying an obligation to buy, adding genuine pressure to West Ham’s pursuit. Miss out here, and Nuno loses the defender who already looks capable of holding together an unsettled back line from the first whistle.