Ornstein – Aston Villa seal defensive target amid Premier League interest | OneFootball

Aston Villa have secured a deal to bring Chelsea defender Axel Disasi in on loan for the rest of the season, according to David Ornstein.

The 26-year-old centre-back had been linked with Tottenham Hotspurs earlier on deadline day, but Villa have now won the race for his signature. The loan fee is reportedly in the same range as the £5 million deal Spurs had discussed with Chelsea.

Villa had been tracking Disasi for a while, but talks initially stalled as they explored other defensive options. However, with Diego Carlos leaving for Fenerbahce, they were determined to bring in reinforcements at the back.

Since joining Chelsea from AS Monaco in 2023 for approximately £35 million, Disasi has struggled to secure a regular spot in the starting lineup. Under manager Enzo Maresca, he has made just three Premier League appearances, totalling 184 minutes.

In total, Disasi has made 60 appearances but hasn’t nailed down a starting spot. This season, he’s played six times in the Premier League and featured in 11 cup matches, often deployed at right-back. He’s also captained the side in the UEFA Conference League.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are still searching for a long-term defensive partner for Levi Colwill, especially with Wesley Fofana sidelined due to a torn hamstring. They recently recalled Trevoh Chalobah from Crystal Palace and still have Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Acheampong, and Benoit Badiashile as defensive options.

Disasi’s contract at Chelsea runs until 2029, but this loan move gives him a chance for regular minutes in the Premier League.

Tottenham’s attempt faltered at the last hurdle

Radu Dragusin is out with an ACL injury (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Indeed, Tottenham had been considering a loan move for Disasi, as CaughtOffside exclusively revealed.

Spurs had have suffered yet another setback after it was confirmed that Radu

picked up an ACL injury, as first reported by The Athletic.