Sources: Chelsea in advanced talks to complete third marquee signing as Benoit Badiashile deal all but done
Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile by the end of this week, sources have told Football Insider.
The Londoners are finalising the capture of the 21-year-old as they look to solve their problematic left centre-back spot.
Chelsea are close to thrashing out a £35million deal for Badiashile and are confident of completing the deal as soon as the transfer window opens on Sunday.
The big-spending Londoners have made a decisive start to the January window as they finalise what will be their third major signing.
Chelsea want to be similarly swift and decisive after already completing deals for Molde’s 19-year-old striker David Datro Fofana and Vasco da Gama’s 18-year-old midfielder Andrey Santos.
Badiashile, who made his senior debut for France in September, has played 16 times for Ligue 1 giants Monaco this season.
His contract in the principality is currently set to expire in the summer of 2024.
The signings of Badiashile, Fofana, and Santos are the first since Chelsea assembled a new-look transfer team in the wake of Todd Boehly’s takeover earlier this year.
Their overhaul includes the appointment of former RB Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell, Southampton recruitment chief Joe Shields, and Brighton transfer guru Paul Winstanley.
Chelsea returned to Premier League action on Tuesday (27 December) with a 2-0 win over struggling Bournemouth, with Thiago Silva playing in the left centre-back role.
Badiashile will be expected to provide fierce competition for the 38-year-old – who has just over six months left to run on his Stamford Bridge contract.
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