Chelsea are close to signing Benoit Badiashile from AS Monaco after agreeing on a deal for the 21-year-old defender.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Chelsea agreed to sign Benoit Badiashile from AS Monaco. The Ligue 1 defender will cost around €37-38 million in transfer fees and will sign a long-term contract after medical tests conclude.
Chelsea were searching for a new left-sided central defender during the summer window, having lost Antonio Rudiger on a free transfer to Real Madrid. The German defender’s exit had a far more significant impact than anticipated, and the problem continued to persist despite the arrival of Kalidou Koulibaly.
New owner Todd Boehly has reestablished Chelsea into an exciting team and is willing to spend big to bring the best talents. He has already sanctioned big moves for Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana in the summer, and the trend may continue into January.
While exciting deals are already in the pipeline, Chelsea is on the verge of completing a transfer for a new first-team player. They have agreed on a deal with AS Monaco for 21-year-old centre-back Benoit Badiashile. The Ligue 1 defender will sign a long-term contract pending a medical examination.
🚨 EXCL: Chelsea reach total agreement with AS Monaco to sign centre-back Benoit Badiashile. Fee €37/38m – medical being scheduled. If all goes to plan 21yo France international will sign a long-term contract already in place @TheAthleticFC #CFC #ASMonaco https://t.co/1tK6nOIyc2
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 1, 2023
The contracts are already in place, and personal terms are in place between Chelsea and the player. The Blues will pay around €37-38 million for the French defender, which is a reasonable price in this market. Badiashile is already an experienced player, having played over 130 senior games for Monaco despite his young age.
There’s tough competition for places in the national squad for his position. Coming to the Premier League would elevate his stature, especially if he cements a place in the Chelsea team.
By bringing Badiashile, the Blues will hope a problem area is solved and they have a suitable replacement for Rudiger. They were looking for options like Evan Ndicka and Piero Hincapie before switching their attention toward the Monaco star.
The Ligue 1 defender will join the Chelsea squad and will have to compete for a place with Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, Kouliobaly and Wesley Fofana. The Blues also have Cucurella and Reece James playing in the back three at times, meaning the competition for places remains intense at Stamford Bridge.
However, like many recent young French centre-backs, Badiashile hopes to make his mark and continue his upward trajectory. Whether he shines from the start for his new side remains the question, but he may have the mentality to become an essential player at Stamford Bridge for years to come.
