Crystal Palace are set to sign Chelsea outcast Axel Disasi on a season-long loan deal which was confirmed by Fabrice Hawkins on Wednesday evening. Disasi had been linked with Palace across the last month or so, and whilst the deal looked unlikely at times, the Frenchman will play for Palace this season. 

Personal terms are yet to be agreed but the deal looks set for completion. 

After losing Maxence Lacroix to the Blues earlier in the window, a replacement was needed, and whilst there are question marks over Disasi’s pace, he is a strong defender who has lots of experience too. 

The news has caused a stir on social media, with many fans frustrated with the singing, suggesting that Disasi isn’t a good enough replacement for Lacroix, but is that the case?

The most common talking point that has arisen upon this news is whether or not Disasi is a good enough ‘replacement’ for Lacroix. If we’re talking about replacing him directly, in terms of skillset and attributes, then yes, that’s correct. 

But that mindset seems to be more common amongst fans than it is amongst those making the decisions. When Michael Olise left for Bayern, his ‘replacement’ was Ismaïla Sarr, who couldn’t be more different of a winger. That move couldn’t have worked out much better. 

The key difference here is that Disasi is joining on a season-long loan deal, not being signed permanently. Whilst he will be replacing Lacroix in the side, he’s not being bought in to match Lacroix’s ability or level, or replace him in the long run - this is very much a stopgap signing. 

It’s important to point out that the optics of selling Lacroix to Chelsea to then bring in a player who has been pushed into their ‘bomb squad’ are not ideal. 

Palace’s model is to buy young talented players, develop them and then sell for profit. Of course, Disasi does not fit this model directly, but what his signing does is allow the club to pursue other options that do. 

Raphael Le Guen remains on Palace’s radar, and whilst personal terms are fully agreed, Brest began to push their asking price up which caused issues. Realistically, if he’s signed, Le Guen would be the long term replacement. 

Disasi also allows Palace to invest in the real problem area of the squad, the midfield. Whilst Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada will both play for Palace this season, both are likely to depart by this time next year. The current depth is not as strong as it needs to be, and there is no successor for either player in place. 

Funds do need to be raised, and the sale of Daniel Muñoz could be critical, but if Palace manage to bring in Le Guen and a starting quality central midfielder, opting for an experienced central defender on loan makes perfect sense. 

There is also a significant lack of quality in the central defensive market, at least in Palace’s price range. Ismaëlo Ganiou was revealed as a target by Sky Sports but just days later he signed new terms with Lens. Palace’s finances at the time also meant a deal wasn’t likely. 

Palace had also come close to signing Chrislain Matsima from Augsburg, but the German side got greedy and asked for far too much money. Joel Ordóñez’s injury ruled him out too, which has left very few starting quality options. 

The new UEFA SCR rules are causing Palace issues, but selling academy players and potentially a couple of first team bodies will alleviate that pressure. 

The general attitude towards this announcement has been extremely negative, but that doesn’t necessarily match up to what Disasi can offer Palace. Stylistically, he is far more similar to Richards than he is to Lacroix. 

Disasi is a strong box defender, and is elite in aerial duels. He was great for West Ham after joining on loan in January and played a key role in their fight for survival despite the Hammer’s ultimate relegation. 

There are certainly fears over his pace, and the overall athleticism in the Palace backline. Pierre Sage operates a very high defensive line, and the worry is that the absence of Lacroix’s pace is going to see Palace exposed on the counter attack. 

The reality is that there are very few central defenders that possess that recovery ability, one of the few others being Ganioiu who thrived under Sage last season. If Palace are caught out due to this lack of pace, Sage will simply have to adjust his approach to prevent this from happening. 

In the immediate term, Disasi will be a good option for Palace, and does improve the options that Palace have in this area of the pitch. 

Ultimately the move cannot be judged until we’ve seen Disasi in a Palace shirt, and equally once the transfer window has ended and we know whether or not this signing opened the door for further improvements.