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Chelsea exiled several players from the first team after they failed to find new clubs in the summer transfer window
Axel Disasi fears that he could get in trouble if he goes into too much detail about his spell in the Chelsea 'bomb squad'. The 28-year-old defender was frozen out shortly after the summer transfer window slammed shut, having failed to find a new club.
"If I say everything, maybe I will get into trouble, but it was tough," said Disasi, who the Blues signed from Monaco for £38m in August 2023, speaking to Sky Sports. "It was very tough to be watching every single week, every single weekend, the games on the TV.
"I was just working, waiting for my time, and that's why now I'm just enjoying because I know what it feels like to be in front of the TV and not on the pitch."
On how he coped with the setback, Disasi said: "I learned to be more patient, to stay professional, even if the circumstances were hard. I had the help of my family, and they helped me a lot to stay in good shape."
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Disasi was told he could leave Stamford Bridge at the start of the season, but a move never materialised. The France international was then informed that he was no longer part of the first team plans, and he was made to train separately from the senior squad at Cobham.
Then, in November, Disasi began featuring for the development squad, having not played a competitive game in over six months. The Frenchman impressed staff behind the scenes, earning himself a place in the first team training again, this time under the stewardship of Liam Rosenior.
Once the former Strasbourg boss got his feet under the table, he insisted that every player would start from a 'clean slate'. With so many centre-halves already at his disposal, and match fit, Disasi was given permission to join West Ham on loan.
football.london understands Chelsea wanted to sell the defender, but the Hammers managed to secure his services on a temporary basis. Disasi has since hit the ground running at the London Stadium, becoming a staple in Nuno Espirito Santo's side.
The Frenchman has already played seven times for West Ham across all competitions, giving them fresh hope of staying in the Premier League while also helping them reach the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Last month, Disasi described his omission from the Chelsea squad as 'crazy'. He said: "It has been really nice, my situation before was a little bit crazy.
"For me it is only a positive to be here, it feels great to be part of something. In Chelsea, the time was a little bit crazy but my background helped me to get through.
"I stayed sharp, I was working hard and always made sure that my head stayed in the right way. My family helped me a lot going through this. During this period I saw that my background helped me a lot."
Speaking on the Iron Cast podcast, Disasi, who still has three years left on his Chelsea contract, added: "My auntie is a West Ham fan, West Ham is her team.
"When I signed for Chelsea she was happy, but also said, ‘Ah, I would have preferred West Ham’. Now that I am here she is happy."
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