Badiashile joins Napoli from Chelsea, calls move 'a great honour'
Quick summary
Chelsea defender Benoît Badiashile has completed a move to Napoli, expressing that joining the Italian club is 'a great honour'.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceBenoit Badiashile has spoken for the first time since completing his move to Napoli, hailing the switch from Chelsea in a message to supporters on Instagram .
Writing in Italian, the France centre-back said: “It is a great honour for me to become part of such a prestigious club, so rich in history. Ready to give everything for this shirt and for this city. Forza Napoli!”
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 30: Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match between Chelsea FC and SL Benfica at Stamford Bridge on September 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Benoit Badiashile joins Napoli on loan with €20m buy option According to reports , Napoli will pay €3m for the season-long loan, with an option to make the deal permanent for a further €20m.
Other Italian outlets reported earlier in the week that the buy clause could reach €27m once add-ons and bonuses are included.
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The Frenchman is just Napoli’s second first-team arrival of the window after Costantino Favasuli from Catanzaro, with the club also exercising buy options on Rasmus Hojlund, Alisson Santos and Vanja Milinkovic-Savic this summer.
Badiashile joined Chelsea from Monaco for €37m in January 2023 but made only 42 Premier League appearances across four seasons. Aurelio De Laurentiis announced the deal in customary fashion, posting “Benvenuto Benoît” on X .
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What happened
Centre-back Benoît Badiashile has left Chelsea to join Napoli, with the player himself confirming the transfer and describing the move as a great honour. The French defender, signed by Chelsea from Monaco in January 2023, had struggled for regular first-team minutes at Stamford Bridge and now links up with Napoli in Serie A. The transfer provides Napoli with additional depth at the back as they build for the season ahead, while Chelsea continue trimming their bloated squad.
Chance analysis
Badiashile's arrival gives Napoli another left-footed centre-back option in a squad that has been reshaped over the past year. For Chelsea, the move is another step in their ongoing squad rationalisation under the current ownership, with several defenders having departed this window. The 24-year-old will be looking to reignite his career after a stop-start spell in England, and his success in Italy will hinge on how quickly he adapts to a new league and tactical system.
Napoli gain a young left-footed centre-back with Premier League experience, while Chelsea shed a squad player and free up wages and a registration slot.