Axel Disasi joins Aston Villa on £5m loan

Aston Villa is set to finalize a loan deal for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi until the end of the season, agreeing to pay a £5 million loan fee. Disasi had previously turned down Tottenham Hotspur, who had also sought to secure his services but failed to convince him. The move to Villa comes after Chelsea was initially hesitant to allow Disasi to join a direct rival for Champions League qualification. Disasi, who has played regularly for Chelsea this season, is expected to have a more impactful role at Villa under manager Unai Emery. This transfer adds to Villa's aggressive recruitment strategy, having also secured the loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio. The signing marks a significant moment as it comes just before Villa's FA Cup match against Spurs, although Disasi will be ineligible to play due to being cup-tied.