Following a typical defeat at Everton, and more worryingly a potential season-ending injury for Moroccan defender Chadi Riad, the time to bring in former West Ham and Aston Villa centre-back Axel Disasi is now.
Despite kicking off the campaign in disappointing fashion, there is a strong chance that the most damaging part of a troublesome afternoon on Merseyside was the loss of our World Cup star. The arrival of Disasi has been rumoured throughout the summer and the general consensus around the club is that his unveiling is imminent. Now, the importance of securing his signature has increased exponentially.
One of the key elements that was lacking in our defensive three against the Toffees was experience, more specifically Premier League experience. Chris Richards acted as the veteran figure amongst the trio, having racked up 93 appearances in the top flight for the Eagles since joining from Bayern Munich in 2022. He had to be patient after arriving under Patrick Vieira, yet once Oliver Glasner took charge in February 2024, he established himself as a key pillar of the 3-4-2-1 formation. He is undoubtedly someone that new manager Pierre Sage can build his team around given his importance to the club.
However, the same cannot be said of those who played alongside him at Goodison Park on Saturday. Jaydee Canvot is clearly an emerging talent who will naturally assume a central role in the side in the coming years, much like Marc Guehi and Maxence Lacroix before him. For now, though, he remains a rising star at just 20 years of age and should be given time to grow into the shirt, having only made his debut for the club in a 0-0 draw against rivals Brighton last November.
The other member of that trio, of course, was the unfortunate Riad. Details remain unclear regarding the length of time the Moroccan international will be side-lined, but the early signs are not encouraging. It is terrible luck indeed for the World Cup quarter-finalist, who recently spent over a year on the side-lines after first suffering a knee problem during a 4-0 victory over Norwich City in August 2024.
Although he returned in December of that year, only weeks later the centre-back suffered another devastating setback when a cruciate ligament injury in training ruled him out for a staggering 326 days. To see injury problems recur once again in the 68th minute against Everton was deeply concerning and means Palace must seriously consider alternative options before the transfer window closes.
Everyone at the club will wish Chadi a smooth recovery and, even in the unfortunate scenario that he has kicked a ball for the last time in a Palace shirt, he will always be remembered for his contribution to our historic victory over Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig. Following Richards’ injury prior to kick-off, Riad stepped up admirably and helped Palace record one of the most memorable results in the club’s history.
In the here and now, however, there are other options within the squad. Oscar Mingueza is yet to appear in the Premier League after joining from Celta Vigo and remains unproven at this level. However, reports from Spain suggest he possesses the quality required to compete in England, demonstrated by his inclusion in last season’s Europa League Team of the Tournament. Even so, the difference in physicality and pace between La Liga and the Premier League suggests it may take time for the Spaniard to adapt.
Someone who does possess a better understanding of the division is Japanese international Takehiro Tomiyasu. He was a reliable presence under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal for several seasons before a serious knee injury led to the termination of his contract during the 2024/25 campaign.
Tomiyasu earned widespread praise for his performances and remains highly regarded by many Arsenal supporters. That reputation is a clear indication of the quality he could bring to Palace. Nevertheless, his injury record remains a concern and, much like Mingueza, it may indicate that Sage intends to integrate him gradually while carefully managing his minutes across multiple competitions.
Enter Disasi as a sensible short-term solution that Palace should look to secure on loan from Chelsea, a transfer route that has proved highly successful for the Eagles in the past. Players such as Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Trevoh Chalobah all enjoyed productive spells at Selhurst Park, and Disasi could provide a similarly valuable contribution while other defenders settle into both the season and life in South London.
The Frenchman made his name at Monaco between 2020 and 2023 before earning a move to Chelsea. Game time was relatively limited and the pressure of playing for one of the country’s biggest clubs may have weighed heavily on his shoulders, particularly given a transfer fee approaching £40 million.
Perhaps the clearest demonstration of his quality came against Manchester City on 18 February 2024, when he earned the Man of the Match award following a superb defensive display. Nevertheless, both Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca appeared to favour alternative centre-back options. Disasi subsequently moved to Aston Villa on loan in the winter of 2025, where opportunities remained difficult to come by.
The strongest argument for Palace pursuing his signature despite those underwhelming spells is the impact he made at West Ham. Hammers supporters across social media have repeatedly pointed to Disasi’s leadership qualities and determination as key factors behind the club’s fight for survival.
His influence was evident. Prior to his arrival, West Ham possessed the league’s leakiest defence and had managed just one clean sheet in 26 matches. Following his introduction, they recorded six clean sheets in 14 games. Despite his best efforts, however, the Hammers narrowly failed to avoid relegation, losing out to Tottenham on the final day of the season.
His absence has already been felt this campaign. West Ham’s defensive shortcomings have been exposed in the Championship, with Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos unable to prevent a late collapse against Burnley before another disappointing display in a home defeat to Charlton, the latter committing an error that directly led to the Addicks’ second goal.
A Disasi-shaped hole has clearly been left at the London Stadium and a move to the other side of the capital could be exactly what Palace need.
Some Palace supporters may feel underwhelmed by the prospect of signing Disasi, particularly given links to more glamorous names from across Europe following the departures of Guehi and Lacroix. However, there is enough quality within the squad to eventually compensate for the loss of two of the club’s most influential recent players.
In the meantime, Disasi fits the profile of someone capable of making an immediate impact. Even if it is not the Frenchman himself who arrives before the deadline, Palace should still target a defender of a similar mould, someone with proven top-flight experience who can provide stability in a position where additional depth is clearly required.
