Axel Disasi, a star for Monaco, is reportedly on Manchester United’s radar as Erik ten Hag considers alternatives to Kim Min-jae of Napoli.
What has changed since Disasi joined Man United?
The towering center-back is reportedly available this summer for a fee of around €50 million (£43 million), with the Frenchman reportedly set to leave the Ligue 1 club if that happens, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. The Red Devils “remain keen” on signing the player ahead of next season.
Romano provided another update, saying that “Axel Disasi remains concrete name on list at Manchester United in case Kim Min-jae will end up joining Bayern as expected [next week will be crucial for Kim deal].”
According to the Italian journalist, despite recent reports that the South Korean brute had reached an agreement with United regarding a move to Old Trafford, it appears that Kim could be on his way to Bayern Munich over the next few weeks.
Axel Disasi should Man United acquire him?
The 25-year-old, who has been described as a “complete” and “dominant” asset by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may enable Ten Hag and company to completely forget about the aforementioned Kim.
Disasi, who Kulig has previously referred to as a “hidden gem,” made an impact on offence last season by contributing to nine clean sheets in 38 league games and scoring three goals during that span.
The four-cap international appears to be far more dangerous than Kim as he ranks in the top 7% among his European counterparts for touches in the attacking penalty area while his Napoli counterpart only ranks in the bottom 41% in that regard. The former Reims titan’s quality in the final third would be a real bonus for Ten Hag’s team.
Disasi’s superior ability to play out from the back, however, may be more significant. The former Paris FC player presents a real threat with his ability to start attacks from deep as he ranks in the top 4% for both progressive passes and progressive carries, while Kim only ranks in the top 12% for both those two metrics.
The ball-winning genius of the Monaco player, who ranks in the top 14% for interceptions made—far higher than the Serie A-winning sensation, who only ranks in the top 27% for interceptions—could also prove to be quite dangerous for any opposition striker.
The ‘hidden gem’ that is Disasi should therefore be given more thought by Ten Hag than the possibility of Kim moving to the Theatre of Dreams this summer, which has been the subject of all the recent discussion.
