‘It was crazy!’ – Chelsea questioned for leaving out £38m ‘machine’
‘It was crazy!’ – Chelsea questioned for leaving out £38m ‘machine’
El Hadji Malick Diouf has lauded the progress of Axel Disasi since joining West Ham, calling it astonishing that the defender had not been given consistent first-team opportunities at Chelsea.
Disasi’s £38 million move from Monaco to Chelsea in 2023 came with high hopes, but the 27-year-old centre-back struggled to meet expectations during his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge. A series of inconsistent performances led to his loan to Aston Villa in the middle of the 2024/25 season.
After returning to Chelsea, Disasi found himself sidelined, making no appearances in the first half of the season before securing a loan to West Ham last month. The France international has since thrived in Nuno Espirito Santo’s defensive setup, securing five clean sheets in his initial six league matches for the Hammers.
‘The guy is not a small player!’ Diouf said, speaking to West Ham’s official website. ‘It was crazy he stayed for so long without playing, but when he came here, he showed he’s a machine!’
With three-and-a-half years left on his Chelsea contract, Disasi’s future remains uncertain. Whether West Ham will pursue a permanent deal depends on their ability to avoid relegation into the Championship by season’s end.
West Ham’s recent turnaround in form has sparked renewed optimism for survival in the Premier League. Four league wins in 2026 have brought them level with Nottingham Forest in the table, and a victory against Manchester City in their upcoming FA Cup quarter-final clash could push them to 15th place.
Following a win over Fulham, Espirito Santo acknowledged the significance of the result but emphasized the need for continued improvement. ‘It’s a special night because we did a good job in a tough stadium against a strong team,’ he told reporters after the match. ‘We know how hard it is to achieve this, which is why it pleases us so much. The key is belief, and we have plenty of it. Today was a big day, but the challenge remains the same.’
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