Napoli have agreed a deal to sign Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile on a season-long loan with an option to make the transfer permanent.
According to The Athletic, the agreement includes a €4 million (£3.4m) loan fee, while Napoli will have the option to sign the 25-year-old permanently for a fixed fee of €27m (£23m). The Serie A club will also cover Badiashile’s salary in full during the loan.
Badiashile was deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea after making just 16 appearances across all competitions last season. The centre-back was left out of new manager Xabi Alonso’s pre-season tour squad as the club looked to facilitate his departure.
The France international joined Chelsea from Monaco for €38m (£32m) in January 2023 and initially made a promising start at Stamford Bridge. However, injuries and inconsistent form prevented him from establishing himself as a regular starter.
Napoli agree deal to sign Chelsea defender Badiashile on loan
Badiashile has made 71 appearances for Chelsea, scoring twice, while earning two caps for France. His most recent international appearance came in September 2022.
His departure is part of Chelsea’s efforts to reduce a bloated squad, particularly in central defence.
The Blues recently agreed to sell Trevoh Chalobah to Como in a deal worth up to €36m (£30m), while Tosin Adarabioyo has attracted interest from several clubs.
Axel Disasi is also expected to leave after spending the second half of last season on loan at West Ham United, while there is interest in Mamadou Sarr from clubs in England and Europe.
Badiashile’s move to Napoli will therefore provide Chelsea with another opportunity to reduce their defensive numbers while giving the Frenchman a chance to revive his career in Serie A.