Napoli prepare first offer for Chelsea's Badiashile, monitor West Ham defender
Quick summary
Napoli are readying an opening bid for Chelsea centre-back Benoît Badiashile and have also identified a West Ham defender as a potential alternative target.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceItalian reports suggest Napoli are prepared to offer €17.5m to Chelsea for Benoit Badiashile, just over half the €30m asking price, with West Ham United’s Jean-Clair Todibo another alternative.
The Partenopei are in need of defenders after news Alessandro Buongiorno will be out of action for at least two to three months due to knee surgery.
Sam Beukema is not fully fit either, while Juan Jesus was allowed to leave as a free agent.
Badiashile and Todibo on Napoli list LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 31: Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on January 31, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) The first choice for Napoli is believed to Badiashile, as Sport Mediaset claim that an offer is being prepared worth €17.5m (£15m).
That is unlikely to be sufficient, seeing as the asking price set by Chelsea is closer to €30m , but negotiations can continue.
Napoli’s preferred idea would be to sign him on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Sky Sport Italia point to Todibo as an alternative, especially following West Ham United’s relegation from the Premier League.
The Hammers paid €40m to get him from OGC Nice last summer following an initial loan spell, but he won’t want to play in the Championship.
Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
Napoli are stepping up their defensive recruitment ahead of the new season and have tabled an initial offer to Chelsea for French centre-back Benoît Badiashile. The Serie A champions are looking to bolster their back line and see Badiashile, who has struggled for regular minutes at Stamford Bridge, as a viable option. Separately, Napoli are also tracking a defender from West Ham as they evaluate multiple targets to strengthen the squad. The dual-track approach suggests Napoli want to ensure they land at least one centre-back before the window closes.
Chance analysis
Badiashile has not established himself as a starter at Chelsea, making him a realistic sellable asset for the Blues. Napoli, as reigning Serie A champions, have the financial leverage and sporting pull to attract a player who needs a reset. If completed, this would be a modest positive for Napoli's defensive depth but a low-impact departure for Chelsea given Badiashile's fringe role. The West Ham link indicates contingency planning rather than a parallel deal.
A potential squad-strengthening move for Napoli; a marginal squad reduction for Chelsea given Badiashile's limited role.
Monitor Badiashile's status for any impact on Chelsea's defensive depth calculations and Napoli's expected back-line composition next season.