Chelsea have reached an agreement with AS Monaco to sign young French defender Benoit Badiashile for an estimated fee of £32.7 million ($39 million). The Athletic report that the 21-year-old centre-back has agreed personal terms with the Blues and a medical has been scheduled.
Badiashile is a left-back who will give manager Graham Potter options at defense alongside Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly. Chelsea had lost Antonio Rudiger, Marcos Alonso and Andreas Christensen in the summer, who left to ply their trade in Spain.
The Guardian also reports that the west London outfit had reached an agreement for Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol last summer, but were unable to meet RB Leipzig’s asking price for the player. And now, after a stellar World Cup, Gvardiol’s asking price is expected to skyrocket for any potential suitors. Chelsea were also reportedly eyeing 20-year-old Piero Hincapie of Bayer Leverkusen and 23-year-old Evan N’Dicka of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Chelsea sign Benoit Badiashile after competition from other clubs
Badiashile had attracted interest from Manchester United last season and, more recently, from Newcastle United, who were also ready to meet Monaco’s asking price for the player. However, Chelsea have moved quickly to sign the player and his arrival will provide more depth at the back and also a long-term option for Chelsea.
The Frenchman is an imposing defender, strong and quick on the ball. He too uses his 6ft 4in height to a good advantage to be dominant in the air which will come in handy in the Premier League. Furthermore, Badiashile is a central defender who plays with the ball and will suit Potter’s style of play by developing from behind. The centre-back has capped 135 times for Monaco, while he has also made two appearances for the French national team.
Chelsea are looking to sign Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernández, who was the young player of the tournament in the recently concluded World Cup in Qatar.
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