Chelsea close to agreeing Napoli deal for defender
Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal with Napoli for Benoit Badiashile, according to Santi Aouna. The Italian club are discussing a season-long loan with an option to buy the Chelsea defender.
Talks have now moved forward after Napoli pushed to find an agreement with Chelsea.
Earlier this week, Chelsea appeared reluctant to accept Napoli’s preferred structure. Football Italia reported that the Blues wanted around €30million and initially resisted a loan with an option to buy.
However, Aouna’s latest update suggests the two clubs are now much closer to finding common ground.
No final agreement has been announced yet.
Benoit Badiashile has faced an uncertain future throughout the summer.
The 25-year-old has struggled to secure a regular place since joining Chelsea from Monaco in January 2023. Injuries have also interrupted his progress at Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have continued to reshape Xabi Alonso’s squad.
ReadChelsea reported on Sunday that Chelsea have agreed a €25m deal for Rayo Vallecano defender Pep Chavarría. Maxence Lacroix has also arrived from Crystal Palace this summer.
Therefore, Chelsea have further reason to reduce the number of defenders in Alonso’s squad.
Napoli could offer Badiashile a route back to regular first-team football. The Serie A club have tracked him throughout the summer and remain keen to complete a deal.
However, the structure remains important for Chelsea.
A loan with only an option to buy would leave the Blues without a guaranteed permanent fee next summer. Chelsea must therefore decide whether the proposed terms work for their longer-term squad plans.
For now, negotiations appear to be moving in the right direction.
If the final details are agreed, Benoit Badiashile could soon become the latest player to leave Stamford Bridge during Alonso’s first summer in charge.
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