Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who sensationally won the cash-rich FIFA Club World Cup by romping past heavy favorites Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 last weekend, wants to offload squad members.
Axel Disasi was playing at right-back for Chelsea until his short-term loan to Aston Villa from February. He slotted in at his favorite position as center-back for 10 Premier League matches for Villa.
High price tag for outcast
Villa have hesitated about a permanent deal for the former France international, as Chelsea have slapped a price tag of €30 million (US$34.9m) on the giant central defender.
That steep figure has put off Villarreal’s recent interest, and could potentially deter the Bianconeri from securing Disasi’s signature unless they start offloading players.
The 27-year-old was expected to follow Chelsea team-mate Renato Veiga to Turin during the winter transfer window. He was discarded as Thiago Motta’s tactics, which demanded the physical challenge of getting up and down the pitch for defenders, did not suit the former AS Monaco ace.
Disasi fell out of favor at Chelsea, and was omitted from Chelsea's squad to tackle the Club World Cup finals. He has been placed on the transfer list, having made 61 appearances for the club since arriving from Monaco for $45 million (US$52.3m) in August 2023.
Interest from Juventus and Villarreal
Discussions kicked off with Villarreal, but Chelsea have turned their attention to Disasi’s long-term admirers Juventus.
The Turin titans opted not to sign 21-year-old center-back Veiga following his successful loan spell, with head coach Igor Tudor keen to shore up his defense during the transfer window.
He is also on the radar of ambitious AC Milan, who are restructuring their squad under former Juve boss Max Allegri, and Atalanta who have installed Ivan Juric as head coach.
Premier League admirers
There are also a plethora of Premier League clubs monitoring his situation that includes Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Disasi is desperate to find a club to try and earn a place in the France squad that will tackle the prestigious 2026 FIFA World Cup.
France manager Didier Deschamps handed Disasi for his debut at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and played him in three games including the final defeat on penalties to Argentina. Disasi has not played an international match since March 2024.
If no concrete offers are made, there may well be a contract termination by mutual agreement between Chelsea and Disasi. No fee would suit cash-strapped Juventus.