‘It feels good to show people that they were wrong’ – Chelsea’s Axel Disasi says he feels ‘stronger’ on loan at West Ham | OneFootball

Axel Disasi (28) has said that he has “grown a lot” over the course of the last six months. The France international, on loan at West Ham United from Chelsea, has spoken about reviving his career at the London Stadium in an interview with L’Équipe.

It has been a difficult couple of years for Disasi. Prior to his move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2023, he was a pillar of the defence at AS Monaco. However, becoming an integral part of Chelsea’s defence proved a much harder task, and midway through last season, he was forced to go out on loan to Aston Villa in search of gametime. 

Disasi reveals aborted West Ham move

His time at Villa Park was a mixed bag. Despite playing 10 games for Villa in his six-month spell, he struggled for consistency. “What that time taught me is that, when you’re a defender, you need to ensure that [you’re playing and not in a rotation]. It’s not like you’re a forward. You come on less during matches,” Disasi told L’Équipe.

His move to Aston Villa was not made permanent and so he returned to Chelsea. But he did not feature in Enzo Maresca’s plans. Disasi revealed that he almost moved to West Ham at the end of the summer window, but ultimately that did not happen. And so he remained at Cobham, albeit training with the reserves. 

Disasi keen to prove doubters wrong

Disasi did get his move, right towards the end of the winter transfer window. He is simply happy to be back on the pitch. “I’m feeling good, as much mentally as physically. Getting back on the pitch helps me feel good. Some people had apprehensions about my return, but it feels good to show those people that they were wrong and that it was only speculation about my physical state […] I have grown a lot these past six months,” he told L’Équipe.

He continued, “I am stronger, especially mentally. I have gained experience, but not in football, in life. This experience helps me with my football. I play differently. I can take a step back from things, and I am a lot calmer. I didn’t fear for my career, but you still ask yourself a lot of questions. Why is this happening to me now? Will I manage to come back? Will I get back to playing for a club that is at the level of my ambitions? I asked myself questions, but only for two or three weeks, no more. I quickly stopped because it was taking up all of my energy. I needed to move forward.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle