The legendary Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes that Axel Disasi will be a ‘very good signing’ for West Ham United. But it is not just Nuno Espirito Santo who should benefit from the Chelsea defender’s change of scenery.
The Hammers are expected to unveil the France international after overcoming late concerns from the player’s camp and after submitting the requisite deal sheet before Monday’s 7pm deadline.
As such, Axel Disasi will become West Ham United’s fifth and final signing of the winter window. And potentially the most transformative, given that the London Stadium outfit have the worst defensive record in the whole of the Premier League.
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While he arrives having not played a top-flight game since April 2025, Disasi has pocketed the likes of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe at his best. Hasselbaink has concerns over how long it will take the former Monaco ace to find form and fitness after so long out of favour at Chelsea, but the Stamford Bridge icon insists this is a transfer which suits all parties.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink applauds West Ham United’s Axel Disasi move as Chelsea misfit escapes
Speaking to Sky Sports, Hasselbaink is just happy to see Disasi escape the ‘bomb squad’ in West London.
“I think he’s been a little bit unlucky. I think it will be a very good signing for West Ham and for himself as well,” says Hasselbaink, who scored 87 goals for Chelsea between 2000 and 2004. “I think he will help West Ham.
“He is a good player, he can play centre-back but can also play right-back, so he covers two positions which will be a good option.
“The only thing is, fitness-wise, where is he? Does he need three, four, or five matches to get back into rhythm? With West Ham, you’ve got to be [available] straight away there because they don’t have that luxury of losing too many matches.
“But overall, with what he has – his ability – I think he is a good transfer for West Ham.
“He’s fit, he’s been training, and he’s been training hard with the ‘bomb squad.’ He’s always stayed positive, so hopefully, he can slot in straight away and hit the level that West Ham needs immediately.”
Disasi could make Hammers debut at Turf Moor
Disasi could replace Jean-Clair Todibo in Nuno’s XI, starting with Saturday’s trip to fellow relegation zone dwellers Burnley. Todibo will miss the next three matches through suspension.
Sky reporter Kaveh Solhekol claimed earlier in the day that Disasi’s West Ham switch was in doubt due to concerns on the player’s side. Hasselbaink feels that would have been a strange decision indeed, presuming that the 27-year-old did not have an alternative move to Russia or Turkey lined up.
The Russian and Turkish windows remain open until later in February.
“He needs to play. He needs to get his career back on track,” added the former Charlton Athletic, Middlesbrough and Leeds ace. “Whatever the conditions are, he needs to put himself out there.
“People need to see him playing; people need to see that he’s in the right frame of mind. Conditions, contracts, blah, blah, blah… it’s not important at the moment. Get yourself in the picture, move on, and get your career back on track.”
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Hasselbaink saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s side threaten a shock at Stamford Bridge
Adama Traore, Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe all featured in Saturday’s thrilling defeat to Disasi’s parent club, while Crysencio Summerville scored in a fourth successive West Ham game.
“I think [West Ham] have done as much as they could with bringing players in. You always have to be a little bit careful in January that you don’t bring in too much. They looked very good in the first-half against Chelsea, especially Summerville,” Hasselbaink argues.
“If they can build from that and keep on scoring goals, I think they might have a chance. If they can get the level from the first-half and keep that longer into the game, and sort out the defence, you never know.
“[Signings] will please the fans. It shows that they want to stay up and they are doing everything to stay up. The most important thing is that they are fighting on the pitch, and you could see in the first-half against Chelsea that they were fighting.
“In the second-half, Chelsea were just a lot better. But they have shown a big improvement, West Ham, so hopefully they can keep on going and Disasi can add to that. I think he will, and hopefully, they can make a fist of it and have a proper go.”
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