(Credit: Imago)

Jacob Raw

Sat 18 April 2026 11:10, UK

Nuno Espirito Santo is very hopeful that Axel Disasi will stay at West Ham United this summer, and that may be the case if the Hammers remain in the Premier League.

The centre-back is now said to be open to a permanent move to the London Stadium this summer, so long as the club stays in the top-flight.

Nuno is also believed to have a good relationship with the defender, whom David Sullivan spent £2million on in loan fees to sign him this winter.

According to The Athletic on Saturday, “sources with knowledge” close to the player have revealed that the Frenchman will engage in talks of a permanent move, should he help the Hammers achieve their goal this season.

Nuno would be delighted to land Disasi permanently, but knows that a drop to the Championship would most likely result in nothing happening.

What has Nuno said about Axel Disasi?

West Ham fended off competition to sign Disasi, who was unable to make a single appearance for Chelsea in the first part of the campaign.

The 27-year-old spent the second half of last season out on loan with Aston Villa, where he also struggled for consistent playing chances, as well as confidence.

However, as seen in the table above, since joining the Hammers, Disasi has been immense, and is a main reason why the Irons look more solid at the back.

Speaking before West Ham’s game against Crystal Palace this Monday, Nuno touched on Disasi’s performances and journey to joining the Hammers.

The West Ham boss said: “He joined high on confidence and believed in himself. Believe me, Axel was never low on confidence. He is a very positive boy. He arrived with the commitment to help and was very aware of the situation that we are.

“In life, you go through ups, downs, disappointments, happiness, so it’s the reality of life. It’s not about being written off and having a point to prove to anyone.

It all depends on Premier League survival, but knowing this information will keep Hammers fans at peace going into the transfer window.

That’s because it’s not just Disasi’s individual effect that’s helped, but his ability has rubbed off on his defensive comrades, namely Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Keeping Disasi may help Konstantinos Mavropanos stay

In recent days, Mavropanos has been subject to Premier League interest from clubs that may worry West Ham.

If someone told fans a couple of months ago that big top-flight clubs would be tracking the Greek defender, most would have laughed.

However, it seems like all Mavropanos has needed in E20 has been a solid centre-back partner next to him the whole time.

He and Disasi have built a formidable partnership in such a short space of time, and one that is certain to grow even further before the end of the season.

Keeping a hold of Disasi would most likely entice Mavropanos to stay put, too.