Chelsea have rebuffed Napoli's enquiry about taking French defender Benoît Badiashile on loan, with the London club insisting they will only entertain a permanent transfer for the 25-year-old, according to reports in Italy.
Napoli, under new head coach Massimiliano Allegri, have been scouring the market for a centre-back after Alessandro Buongiorno suffered a knee injury that is set to rule him out for the entirety of pre-season and potentially beyond. The former Torino captain, who joined Napoli last summer, may require surgery, prompting the Partenopei to accelerate their search for defensive reinforcements.
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Napoli approached Chelsea to gauge the availability of Badiashile, the former Monaco centre-half who moved to Stamford Bridge in January 2023. However, despite the Frenchman not featuring prominently in Chelsea's first-team plans under Enzo Maresca, the Blues have made it clear they are not interested in a temporary deal.
Badiashile, who is under contract at Chelsea until 2030, has made 42 appearances across all competitions for the West London club since his €38 million arrival from Monaco. While he has struggled for consistent game time in a congested Chelsea squad, the club value his long-term asset and would only consider a sale that recoups a significant portion of their investment.
The Partenopei have other options on their shortlist. Juventus' Federico Gatti and Lecce's Tiago Gabriel are also understood to be on Napoli's radar as they look to bolster Allegri's defensive options ahead of the new Serie A season.
According to Gazzetta, Napoli may return with a fresh approach towards the end of the August transfer window if Badiashile has not secured a move elsewhere by then. Whether Chelsea's stance on a loan softens remains to be seen, but for now, any suitor will need to negotiate a permanent transfer for the France international.
Sources
- https://football-italia.net/chelsea-turn-down-napoli-request-badiashile/
