OFFICIAL: Napoli loan Chelsea defender with €27m option to buy as Blues trim squad | OneFootball

Chelsea have completed the loan of Benoit Badiashile to Napoli after a long summer of negotiations.

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The first Saturday of the Premier League season is in full swing right now, but that hasn’t stopped a transfer being completed.

To be fair, Chelsea don’t play until Monday night, so their sporting directors have had the chance to keep working on shifting yet more of their excess squad list. This time it’s the turn of Benoit Badiashile, who has joined Napoli on loan for the season the Blues have just confirmed.

According to reports from the likes of Fabrizio Romano, the Serie A side will pay a €3m loan fee, and will also have the option to make the transfer permanent for €27m.

Chelsea move on Badiashile – but still have lots to do at the back

Badiashile is a talented player and still just 25. He showed a lot of promise in his early months at Chelsea when he arrived in January 2023, but since then injuries have prevented him building up any form or momentum.

He’s managed 71 appearances in all competitions for the Blues, but it’s been a long time since he had a consistent, long run as a starter, and the return of Levi Colwill from injury along with the signing of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace has bumped the former Monaco man down the pecking order.

The Blues had ten central defenders at one point this summer, but after selling Trevoh Chalobah and loaning Badiashile they’re down to eight, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi also apparently close to a departure. There is still plenty more work to do, and not long left to do it.