Axel Disasi, a defender for Monaco, is reportedly still a target for Manchester United, with manager Erik ten Hag looking for potential defensive reinforcements before the start of the upcoming season.
What has changed since Disasi joined Man United?
The Sun is now reporting that the Red Devils are still on “alert” in case a deal for the Frenchman does become a possibility, despite potential concerns over the player’s price tag, following earlier rumours regarding a summer move for the 25-year-old.
The report suggests that it may prove ‘difficult’ to land the former Reims ace, despite the fact that Ten Hag ‘wants’ him, because United seems wary of breaking Financial Fair Play regulations while also dealing with a lingering takeover saga.
Although clubs like Arsenal and Chelsea are also prepared to pounce with offers of their own, it is believed that any deal could cost in the neighbourhood of £34 million if the Old Trafford outfit were to sign the 6 foot 3 rock over the coming weeks.
Axel Disasi is how good?
Harry Maguire’s future at the Theatre of Dreams is still up in the air, and the 30-year-old was recently relieved of his captaincy after appearing in just eight Premier League games as a starter the previous season.
After falling down the pecking order under Ten Hag, the former Leicester City player has been heavily linked with a move, which is why the Dutchman is looking for someone like Disasi to help provide competition for players like Victor Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez, and Raphael Varane.
The Monaco machine, described as “complete” and “dominant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could prove to be a “amazing signing for any top Premier League club” because, in Kulig’s opinion, he was “born to play in England.”
William Saliba, another exciting Frenchman who has successfully made the transition from life in Ligue 1, is currently flourishing for the Arsenal if United are to land their man – despite the intense competition for his services.
The 22-year-old was originally signed by the north Londoners on a £27 million deal from Saint-Etienne back in 2019, but he didn’t really break into the first-team picture at the Emirates until last season after spending the previous few years back on loan in his native country.
The 6 foot 4 gem has been nothing short of “exceptional” over the past 12 months, in spite of his delayed introduction to English football. Mikel Arteta, the club’s manager, noted that the player started 27 league games as part of the team’s ultimately fruitless title bid the previous season.
Saliba has been compared to a “younger Rio Ferdinand” by United legend Gary Neville. The Red Devils would undoubtedly want to have Saliba on their team, which is why they acquired Disasi to create their own version of the Bondy native.
Saliba ranks in the top 7% among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, while his compatriot ranks in the top 4% for both progressive passes and progressive carries, demonstrating his prowess at playing out from the back. The two players appear to naturally maintain composure in possession.
The two are comparable defensively as well; Disasi is just ahead after averaging 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game from his 28 Ligue 1 appearances, while the Arsenal starlet averaged two tackles and interceptions per game in the league last season as a sign of his ball-winning prowess.
Given the similarities between the two imposing titans, the United target may be able to adjust to life in England as easily as his international counterpart has recently. It appears that Disasi may end up being Ten Hag’s answer to Saliba in the coming term.
