“People say you are like Desailly”- Chelsea star says he has been compared to legendary French defender

Axel Disasi reveals he has been compared to Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly

Chelsea’s new signing Axel Disasi has been told his playing style has drawn comparisons to Marcel Desailly as the youngster possesses similar attributes to the legendary French defender.

Disasi has been signed as a replacement for Wesel Fofana worth £38 million from AS Monaco, who picked up a serious ACL injury and could miss a big part of the 2023–24 season.

The 25-year-old is expected to play an instrumental role next season as he could rotate with Thiago Silva in the centre-back role. Before Chelsea completed his signing, the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle United were also interested in signing the centre-back.

After his move, he revealed that he has been compared to one of Chelsea’s greatest players, Marcel Desailly, who played 221 times for the Blues and went on to win the UEFA Super Cup and English Super Cup while in SW6.

Axel said in an interview with the club’s official website (h/t Express):

“My first coach said you are like Marcel Desailly, and it’s also similar to my name. Desailly, Disasi, they’re a little bit the same, so the people say you are like Desailly, and he was a good player, a great player for the French national team and for Chelsea also.”

Desailly was a versatile player who could also operate as a defensive midfielder and was a key player for France, who won the World Cup in 1998. Right after winning the competition, he joined the Blues, where he spent six years and played a major part in leading them to many trophies.

The 25-year-old has the opportunity to do the same at Chelsea and etch his name in the folklore of the Blues in future. Being compared to Desailly already shows that he has the raw minerals to follow in the footsteps of France’s best-ever players.

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25 may be seen as an age when a player should be at his peak years. But he has now joined a club where he can have the pedestal to enhance his reputation and take his game to the next level, learning from the likes of Thiago Silva and playing under Mauricio Pochettino, who was himself a specialist centre-back in his playing days.