Chelsea raise Badiashile asking price as Napoli close in | OneFootball

Chelsea have raised their asking price for Benoît Badiashile, but Napoli remain confident of landing the defender they have made their priority.

According to ilnapolista, relaying La Gazzetta dello Sport, Badiashile is Massimiliano Allegri’s first choice to fill the void left by the injured Alessandro Buongiorno, who faces three to four months out after knee surgery.

The two clubs have agreed on the basis of a loan worth €3m; the sticking point is the buy option. Chelsea had initially wanted an obligation to buy set at €15m, before shifting to an option, but in doing so raised the figure to €18-20m.

Napoli are now working to keep it as low as possible, though the distance between the clubs is described as minimal.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 31: Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on January 31, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Badiashile pushing to seal Napoli move

Encouragingly for Napoli, the player himself is driving the deal.

Badiashile is said to have rejected the advances of a Premier League club in order to move to Naples, and Allegri hopes to have him available when the squad resumes work at Castel Volturno after Ferragosto.

The urgency is obvious. Napoli’s defensive department has been decimated by injury: beyond Buongiorno, Sam Beukema is nursing an Achilles problem and Luca Marianucci recently suffered a knee ligament tear, leaving Allegri desperately short of centre-backs ahead of the season opener.

With only a small gap left to bridge and the player onside, Napoli are hopeful of completing a deal that has become a pressing necessity.