Leeds United set to make January move for £39 million Chelsea outcast

Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk, Axel Disasi, Raheem Sterling and Alfie Gilchrist. (REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)

Chelsea are preparing for a busy January transfer window, looking to strengthen key areas while offloading players who have fallen out of favour.

Injuries have hit the Blues’ backline hard this season, and with Liam Delap struggling in attack, reinforcements are needed at both ends of the pitch.

At the same time, the club is eager to trim its squad, with Raheem Sterling set to leave after a loan spell at Arsenal and Axel Disasi also expected to depart.

Now, Leeds United have emerged as a potential destination for the French defender.

Leeds United are reportedly targeting Axel Disasi in January as they look to bolster their defensive options, according to Football Insider.

The 27-year-old centre-back has been sidelined at Chelsea under Enzo Maresca, who included him in the so-called “bomb squad” ahead of the 2025/26 season. Disasi has already been linked with multiple Premier League and European clubs, with intermediaries even offering him to sides such as AC Milan and Barcelona.

Disasi joined Chelsea from AS Monaco in August 2023 for £38 million and had a promising start, but he never fully secured a first-team spot.

His difficulties intensified following Maresca’s appointment, including a loan to Aston Villa for the latter half of the 2024/25 campaign. Leeds see an opportunity to add an experienced, ready-made defender, though they will face competition for his signature from other top-flight clubs.

With Disasi eager to leave Stamford Bridge and re-establish his career, a move to Leeds could give him a fresh start and provide the Whites with a much-needed defensive boost in January.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.