London's Chelsea are close to offloading their defensive line: Napoli has made progress in talks to loan 25-year-old central defender Benoit Badiashile with an option to buy.
The French player is open to continuing his career in Serie A after injuries and high competition hindered his chances of establishing himself at Stamford Bridge.
Details of the negotiations and Chelsea's position
According to journalist Santi Aouna, the clubs are in the final stages of discussing the structure of the deal.
Contract format: Talks are focused on a loan agreement with a purchase option, and Badiashile himself has expressed his consent to the transfer.
Softening of the Blues' stance: Initially, Chelsea insisted on a full sale for €30 million or a loan with an obligatory buy clause. However, following the signing of Maxence Lacroix from Xabi Alonso, the club now has an excess of players in central defence, where Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, and Tosin Adarabioyo also play.
Competition and alternative targets
The transfer situation remains intriguing due to interest from other clubs:
Interested parties: Real Sociedad is also in the running for Badiashile.
Backup targets for Napoli: The Italian club is simultaneously keeping an eye on Federico Gatti, Thiago Gabriel, and Jean-Clair Todibo, in case negotiations with Chelsea hit a dead end.
Regular playing time in Italy could offer the Frenchman the best opportunity to regain his former form and confidence.
