Axel Disasi: Attracting Attention From Premier League
Axel Disasi is a wanted man. The 25-year-old French international has made a name for himself at AS Monaco since joining them in 2020 and is now a reported target for multiple clubs, including Manchester United and Newcastle United.
Standing 6’3 and blessed with great physical attributes it’s easy to see why Disasi is attracting attention from the Premier League duo. He’s an aggressive, front-footed defender who reads the game very well and uses his anticipation and aggression to bully opposing forwards.
Strengths and Skills of Disasi
Naturally a central defender, but also comfortable at right-back, Disasi is very much the modern central defender and shows a progressive mindset when in possession. His passing can be a little hit-and-miss, but he ranks as one of the best ball-carrying defenders in Europe according to FBRef’s data.
He has also shown an aptitude, when partnered with another front-footed defender, to play as a sweeping central defender using his pace and athleticism to cover behind his partner.
Disasi’s Career Path
Having spent time with Paris FC he joined Stade de Reims in 2016 and that’s where his talent was first noted. After four seasons there, he moved on to Monaco for a fee of £11mil. He has gone from strength to strength in the principality but it appears like the time has come for the next chapter in his career and a Premier League move does appear the most likely outcome.
Prospect of Joining Manchester United
It’s no secret that Manchester United are in the market for a central defender but what’s not known is what type of role that player will have. Will they be a starter or a backup? With Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez entrenched at United, it would appear that the new arrival would likely come in as a depth option behind those two.
Varane has had injury issues throughout his career and is now 30, but he’s still an excellent defender and will likely remain a starter when fit. And Martinez joined the club at the request of Erik Ten Hag so it seems unlikely that he would be replaced. Disasi would likely get plenty of games in rotation of those two, and potentially at right-back, for United but if he’s looking for more certainty about his role then it might not be the right choice for him.
The Fit at Newcastle United
The fit at Newcastle is far more straightforward. Disasi would slot in next to Sven Botman to form a dominant pairing that Newcastle can continue to build with. While Fabian Schar had an excellent season last time around and was a vital cog in the best defense in the league, he’s an obvious candidate to be upgraded for Newcastle to continue progressing.
Schar will turn 32 in December and has a history of picking up knocks. He’ll still be hugely valuable to the Toon moving forward, but a role as the third central defender who rotates into the team to give others rest might be the best way to keep him operating at a high level for the next two to three seasons.
The Ideal Partnership: Disasi and Botman
The Disasi-Botman fit appears to be a perfect match. Botman was outstanding last season, somehow going completely overlooked when people discussed teams of the season despite performing at a consistent level well above others who got more attention because of who they played for. Botman’s calm, measured approach would mesh well with Disasi, both can play as the front-footed defender who dominates aerially, or as the sweeper who covers in behind, and Disasi’s athleticism makes up for the one weakness in Botman’s armour – pace.
Final Considerations for Disasi
From a playing time point of view, and in terms of fit with a potential partner, Newcastle is a pretty easy pick for Disasi. He should also spent some time considering which club has a brighter future, United with real uncertainty over their ownership, or Newcastle with the Saudi PIF set to bankroll sustained assaults on success for as long as they see fit.
