'Every game is a fight' – £38m defender has been training all his life for Premier League battles

The £38m Chelsea paid Monaco for Axel Disasi is starting to look cheap, at least just on the basis of how much the defender is playing.

There are a variety of opinions about his level, but the decision to sign him as a late replacement for the injured Wesley Fofana has been proved a smart one. He arrived and came right into the team, and whether at right back or in the centre he’s played constantly ever since.

It’s made for a quick adaptation, and in an interesting interview with Chelsea’s website Disasi admitted it had been a battle to adjust to the frenetic and physical Premier League football.

“Since I’ve been here I’ve felt good. It’s a new team and all my team-mates help me every day to be more comfortable. I’m happy to be here,” Disasi said.

“It’s true that we are not in the position that we want, but if we keep the same mentality that we showed on Saturday then I think at the end of the championship it can be good.

“I was ready to play here because it was something that I really wanted, so before I came here I trained a lot to be ready.

“I think that every opponent, every team, they are strong. It’s the best league in the world here, every team is competitive, so every game is a fight.”

The 25 year old has had plenty of criticism, but we all remember how tough it was even for players as good as Antonio Rudiger to settle in and learn the league. Let’s give Disasi a chance, especially when there’s a more confident team around him.