Who is Axel Disasi?
The 22-year-old French central defender, who is entering the final year of his contract, has been repeatedly linked with a move to Wolves over the last few months, whilst also catching the eye of other teams such as, AS Monaco, Arsenal Real Sociedad and Southampton. His current team Reims, are following a similar trajectory to Wolves, having only been promoted to the French top flight in 2018, finishing 8th in their first season and following that up with a 5th place finish this season.
This success is largely down to the defensive capabilities of the team, who have impressively conceded the fewest amount of goals in Ligue 1 this season, which is surprising given how dominant PSG are in the division, and Reims even topped this off with a 0-2 win at the Parc des Princes, where Disasi was a stand-out performer, so it is easy to see why he is in high demand.
He is currently enjoying his breakthrough season at Reims, despite being at the club for 4 years, he largely played as a back-up to Björn Engels (making only 4 appearances in Ligue 1 last season compared to playing almost every game this season), whose subsequent move to Villa gave him the opportunity to shine under David Guion.
What could Axel Disasi bring to Wolves?
Disasi would be a great addition to the squad as he possesses all the qualities of a modern-day centre-half. He has the raw physical attributes that would suit Premier League football, as he is a powerful player who has the pace to keep up with speedy attackers and the strength to assert himself in any defensive situation, whilst also being great in the air, cutting out crosses into the box and winning key defensive headers.
A stand-out element to his game is his ability to read the opponent’s attack, shutting out potential goalscoring moves, which is something that has been achieved through the chemistry between him and his defensive partner Yunis Abdelhamid (another stand-out player for Reims), a partnership you can see being replicated with Conor Coady and Willy Boly. Having these qualities in the mental side of his game and being able to apply them consistently in a top European league is something that is rare in a young defender, especially a centre-half, so he would be well worth the investment as these can only improve with age
Additionally, the reason I describe him as possessing the attributes of a modern-day central defender, is that he can also contribute to the attack. He likes to carry the ball forward and looks to play key passes in-behind the opposition’s defence; this would help to add another dynamic to Wolves’ offensive tactics, especially helping to stretch teams that like to sit back and creating space in which chances can arise.
How much would Disasi cost Wolves?
Reports suggest that Wolves made a €15m bid in June and the Reims president Jean-Pierre Calliot seemingly confirmed this as he stated the club has “English offer that we have been holding for some time” just after admitting he has resigned himself to the fact the player will be leaving this summer. The figure needed to ensure the 22-year-old’s signature varies, Monaco have already seen a €12m big be rejected and the French media are generally reporting a figure of €20m plus bonuses should be enough to guarantee his club accept the deal, however, as his contract draws to a close, Reims may be forced to settle for a fee lower than hoped rather than letting him leave for free when his deal expires next year.
If Wolves can sign him for a good price and convince him that he should the team, becoming a part of one of the most exciting projects in Europe then he would be a welcome addition to the squad. He already has the quality to play in a top division, whilst adding to the amazing young talent within the team, who will ensure Wolves continue to go from strength-to-strength for years to come.
Cameron Bruce is part of the Talking Wolves editorial team – you can follow him on Twitter here.