Chelsea is closing in on the signing of Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, sources confirmed on Monday. The Blues are expected to pay in the region of €37 million for the player, who is set to arrive in London and undergo a medical in the next 24 hours.
Badiashile made 106 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco and has earned two international caps for the French national team. He ultimately missed out on a spot in France’s 2022 World Cup squad.
At 21 years of age, Badiashile matches the profile of those players that Chelsea is looking to sign in pursuit of the club’s strategy going forward. Under the ownership of Todd Boehly, the Blues are looking to overhaul their squad by signing young players on long-term deals.
While the Blues had targeted RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol as a priority signing in the January transfer window, Badiashile presents a cheaper alternative. So far, Chelsea and Leipzig have been unable to agree on terms for Gvardiol’s transfer.
Badiashile will play a big part in expanding Chelsea’s defensive options, particularly following the departure of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger on free transfers last summer.
