OM Transfer Window — The Last-Minute Chase for Chelsea’s Axel Disasi

A boiling mercato until the final second

This summer was pure chaos at the Vélodrome. Between rumors, last-minute deals, and confirmed arrivals, OM’s transfer window felt like a rollercoaster. In the dying hours, Pablo Longoria and Mehdi Benatia were still pushing to fix early-season defensive woes, including a frustrating Olympico defeat against Lyon. The mission was clear: reinforce the backline at all costs.

Major reinforcements already secured

By then, OM had already struck big with Benjamin Pavard and Nayef Aguerd, two experienced internationals set to bring leadership and stability. But in the frantic final hours, another name surfaced — Axel Disasi.

OM knocked on Chelsea’s door

According to Kieran Gill of the Daily Mail, OM (alongside AS Monaco) made an attempt to bring in Disasi from Chelsea on loan. The plan was straightforward: secure a European-level defender familiar with the Premier League to immediately bolster the squad. But Chelsea quickly closed the door.

Bound by FIFA regulations limiting the number of players a club can loan out, the Blues were unable — or unwilling — to greenlight the move. For Marseille, the idea of pairing Disasi with Pavard and Aguerd was tempting, but Stamford Bridge had the final say.

A miss, but an ambitious signal

Even if the deal didn’t go through, the Disasi chase says a lot about OM’s intentions. This wasn’t a search for stopgaps or short-term fixes — it was a statement of ambition, targeting players of international caliber already competing at the highest level.

Chelsea’s refusal highlights the constraints of modern squad management in London, but also underlines Marseille’s determination to show up on the same playing field when it comes to recruitment.

A missed opportunity, but the tone is set

No Axel Disasi at the Vélodrome, but the attempt itself shows the direction: OM is no longer afraid to knock on Chelsea’s door and chase Champions League-level defenders. With Pavard and Aguerd already secured, the backline has been profoundly reshaped.

For the supporters, the question remains: would Disasi have been the missing piece in OM’s new-look defense, or is the duo Pavard-Aguerd enough to steady the ship? Your turn to weigh in. Allez l’OM!