Napoli have officially announced the arrival of Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile on a season-long loan, with the Serie A side securing an option to make the move permanent for €20 million next summer.
Napoli Secure Badiashile Loan Deal with Option for Permanent Transfer
The French centre-back becomes the latest addition to Antonio Conte’s squad as the Partenopei look to strengthen their defensive options ahead of the new campaign.
Badiashile, 25, joins after intense speculation regarding his future at Stamford Bridge, where he struggled to cement a regular starting position last season.
The agreement sees Napoli pay a €3 million loan fee for the 2026/27 season. Should the club decide to exercise their purchase option, Chelsea will receive an additional €20 million, though some Italian media outlets have suggested the final fee could reach €27 million when including potential bonuses.
Benoit Badiashile has completed a season-long loan move to Napoli.
We look forward to supporting the defender during his times in Naples. Good luck, Benoit!
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2026
The French international arrived at Chelsea from Monaco in January 2023 for €37 million, but managed only 16 appearances across all competitions last term.
His time in London yielded 42 Premier League outings, though managerial instability at the club hampered his progress.
Before moving to England, Badiashile established himself as a reliable presence in Ligue 1, accumulating 135 competitive appearances for Monaco’s senior side.
This transfer represents Napoli’s second major first-team acquisition of the summer window, following the arrival of Costantino Favasuli from US Catanzaro earlier this week.
The club confirmed the deal through their official channels on Saturday, stating they had acquired the player’s sporting rights on a temporary basis with a permanent option.
Badiashile joins a growing list of Chelsea departures this summer, following Marc Cucurella’s switch to Real Madrid, Andrey Santos’ move to Manchester United, and Trevoh Chalobah’s transfer to Como.
