Telegraph: Two Premier League teams chase €45m defender; Chelsea played it perfectly | OneFootball

Chelsea have been slow and patient in this transfer window, but they finally have a couple of teams right where they want them.

Axel Disasi has fallen down the pecking order at Chelsea, but he was a regular last season and got to show what he can do at the top level. While Blues fans are ready to move on to more exciting options in defence, there are a lot of teams out there who think they could do with a solid (physically, at least), experienced presence at the back.

By keeping their powder dry, Chelsea have let interest blossom from one team to two, and now they could have a bidding war on their hands.

The Aston Villa interest has been clear for a week at least, and they appeared to be closest to signing him. The only question seemed to be if they would make it a permanent deal or a loan, and how their interest in Joao Felix would potentially affect that.

Tottenham join the race

Axel Disasi in action for Chelsea. (Photo by Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)

Well, their hesitation may have cost them. In that week, Tottenham lost Radu Dragusin to injury, leaving another gaping hole in their back line. It’s panic stations there, and today Matt Law reports for the Telegraph that they’ve joined the chase for Disasi.

The Blues will not be forced into a sale, and are “insistent the terms must be right.”

“They will only loan him with an obligation to buy or if they receive a significant loan fee,” Law writes.

“They would also consider offers to sign Disasi permanently for a fair market price.”

That’s where things get tricky – we paid a fat €45m for him, and it’s tough to imagine us getting that for him, even from a desperate Spurs. So a loan with a hefty fee looks the most likely outcome, whichever destination is chosen.