Chelsea agree to loan Benoit Badiashile to Napoli | OneFootball

Chelsea have agreed a deal to loan Benoit Badiashile to Napoli next season, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Blues agreed to a €3m loan fee plus €1m in add-ons, with a €27m buy-option clause. They will also cover his full salary while he is away from Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea will be hoping that he performs well enough in Italy to get a permanent move to the Partenopei next summer.

Chelsea need to get several defenders off their books before the start of the season, and the 25-year-old was likely at the top of their list.

After a promising first few months in West London following his £35 million arrival in January 2023, the Frenchman has suffered a staggering decline.

Injuries played their part, but Chelsea have moved on from Badiashile after adding Maxence Lacroix for a big fee.

They have now sold Trevoh Chalobah and loaned Badiashile, but must decide what to do with others such as Tosin Adarabioyo, Axel Disasi, Aaron Anselmino, and Mamadou Sarr.

Chelsea still need another defender

Badiashile’s departure may help Chelsea streamline their squad, but it also highlights a concern that the club cannot afford to ignore.

The Blues still do not have enough proven quality at the back to navigate what promises to be another demanding campaign.

Levi Colwill remains an important option, while Lacroix should add greater physicality and experience to the defence.

Wesley Fofana, meanwhile, can be an excellent defender, but his injury record makes it difficult to rely on him across an entire season.

Josh Acheampong is an exciting young talent, but expecting him to shoulder significant defensive responsibility would be a major gamble.

Chelsea therefore need one more assured defensive presence before the transfer window closes.

Someone reliable, experienced, and capable of competing immediately for a starting role would give Xabi Alonso much more security.