Crystal Palace sign Chelsea defender Axel Disasi on third loan spell

Crystal Palace have signed Chelsea defender Axel Disasi on a season-long loan, making it the Frenchman’s third temporary move away from Stamford Bridge.

The 28-year-old joined Chelsea from Monaco in 2023, but has spent the past two seasons away from the club on loan. He previously played for Aston Villa before joining West Ham for the second half of last season.

Disasi made 17 appearances for West Ham during that spell and scored once. His move to Crystal Palace now gives him another opportunity to establish himself elsewhere while remaining a Chelsea player.

The defender has made 61 appearances for Chelsea since arriving from Monaco, scoring five goals. His latest departure adds him to a growing list of defenders to have left Chelsea during the current summer transfer window.

Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Tyrique George and Benoit Badiashile have also departed Chelsea’s defensive ranks so far this summer.

Disasi’s move to Crystal Palace represents the latest stage of a Chelsea career that began in 2023 but has increasingly been interrupted by loan spells. After his initial move from Monaco, he spent time with Aston Villa before joining West Ham, where he featured regularly during the latter part of last season.

His West Ham spell was the most recent of those temporary transfers, with 17 appearances and one goal recorded during the second half of the campaign. He will now continue his career at Crystal Palace for the coming season.

The agreement keeps Disasi under contract at Chelsea while taking him to a third club on loan since his arrival in England. It also means his next competitive appearances will come in Crystal Palace colours rather than for Chelsea, where he has played 61 times and scored five goals since signing from Monaco.

Chelsea’s summer defensive changes have already included the exits of Cucurella, Chalobah, George and Badiashile, as well as Disasi’s temporary move. The club’s decision to allow the Frenchman to leave on loan follows two consecutive seasons in which he has spent time away from the first-team squad at Stamford Bridge.

For Crystal Palace, the signing brings in a player with experience of Chelsea, Monaco, West Ham and Aston Villa. Disasi will spend the full season on loan at the club, with his move confirmed as his third departure from Chelsea on a temporary basis.