The January transfer window is starting to truly move for Chelsea as the Blues start to enter the cut and thrust of the month. Already, they have confirmed the signing of David Datro Fofana, who was at the City Ground on Sunday, and they are on the verge of announcing another in the form of Benoit Badiashile from Monaco.
The 21-year-old French defender is expected to arrive at Stamford Bridge in a £34million deal lasting six-and-a-half years. football.london understands Badiashile was in London on Monday to undergo his medical after personal terms were signed. That could be wrapped up on Tuesday.
The move would see Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali once again succeed in tying down young talent to long term deals at Chelsea, with three of the Blues' most recent back four older than 31. Badiashile would also be the fourth defender the club has landed since the summer following Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana.
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There's been no shortage of turnover at Chelsea since the takeover, with almost £300million being spent across the summer as the hierarchy looked to replace the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, while also attempting to improve the team. That process saw Malang Sarr become a teammate of Badiashile at Monaco, with the Blues defender joining on loan.
The Ligue 1 side have an option to make that move permanent, though Sarr has been less content with the move than his employers. Ahead of the break for the World Cup, the 23-year-old made just eight appearances for Philippe Clement's side.
Sarr's agent Federico Pastorello has touted a move to Italy for his client but a lot can change in six months.
He told Tuttomercatoweb: "He is a boy I would see very well in Italy. At Monaco his playing time is limited, but they are happy with him, we will see if they will let him leave as soon as offers arrive.
"But clearly there is a bit of disappointment on the part of the boy, he would have liked to find more playing time by moving from Chelsea. There’s a whole second half of the season, we’ll see. We will work on it."
As domestic football returned however, Badiashile dropped to the bench as speculation grew and Sarr completed 90 minutes in a 3-2 win over Auxerre. He did not retain his place in the starting XI for the following game but it does signal that opportunities would become more likely in the event of Badiashile's departure.
In turn the increasing prominence of Sarr, would make the prospect of Monaco taking up their option more likely and as a result, turn the Badiashile deal into a delayed, swap deal of sorts. This reduces the hit Chelsea take on the fee they have had accepted by Monaco, while also enabling them to get a player off their books who in all likelihood they will look to move on should he not be wanted by the city-state team.
Badiashile will have plenty of competition of his own to fight off at Chelsea in the form of Koulibaly, Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and a returning Levi Colwill, while it remains to be seen if Thiago Silva extends his stay. However, his arrival will come with an opportunity, Sarr was always likely to lack, with Fofana injured, Koulibaly struggling and Colwill on loan at Brighton.
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