Chelsea and Aston Villa may thrash out a double deal before the January transfer window slams shut.
Blues manager Enzo Maresca is set to thin out his squad this winter, with Joao Felix and Axel Disasi among those deemed surplus to requirements. Villa reportedly hold an interest in both players, who could be used by Unai Emery to beat Chelsea to European qualification.
Fabrizio Romano claims that Villa and Disasi have already reached an agreement on personal terms for a move which, according to other reports, will be a straight loan with no option to buy.
Disasi has only made six Premier League appearances this season, and a handful of individual errors have contributed to a loss of support from Chelsea fans. Villa have a vacancy in central defence, with Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres both currently sidelined.
The West Midlands club have also made enquiries into the availability of Felix, according to The Daily Mail. The 25-year-old has looked lively when called upon, but he has been unable to displace Cole Palmer in attacking midfield, and Maresca has proven reluctant to play them in the same side.
Felix has only started three times in the league, with four of his seven goals across all competitions coming in the UEFA Conference League.
Emery is a huge admirer of the Portuguese international, who can play in a variety of attacking positions, and Villa made an attempt to sign him before he landed at Chelsea last summer.
With Disasi signing from AS Monaco in a £39million deal 18 months ago, and Felix costing £46m last summer after a spell on loan in 2023, Chelsea stand to lose a significant chunk of cash if the pair continue to collect dust on Maresca’s bench.
A potential move to Villa, where there are greater prospects of regular game time, could therefore suit all parties if Disasi and Felix finish the season strong. Chelsea and Villa are both competing for a European spot with only 15 league games remaining.
The Blues are in sixth place, one point off the top four, while Villa are four points off the Champions League pace in eighth. The likes of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have shaken up this season’s European race, with usual suspects Manchester United and Tottenham stranded in the bottom half.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk