Benoit Badiashile makes tough transfer stance amid AC Milan interest
Benoit Badiashile wants to stay at Chelsea and will not be moving in the summer despite interest from AC Milan.
The 23-year-old defender, who is contracted with the Blues until June 2030 after signing from AS Monaco around 15 months ago, is the subject of interest from Milan – and has been for some time. However, Chelsea want Badiashile to remain at the club and the feeling is very much mutual.
It has been an injury-ridden campaign for the Frenchman, who has played just over 1000 minutes in all competitions this season for the Blues. Badiashile has missed 19 matches through injury this term and it has been difficult for him to gain any sort of consistency in the side.
The former Monaco defender did, though, return to the team on Saturday afternoon, where he partnered his French compatriot Axel Disasi at Stamford Bridge. Badiashile will be hoping to be involved once again on Thursday night as Chelsea welcome Manchester United to Stamford Bridge.
Badiashile has thoroughly enjoyed his start to life at Chelsea despite being in and out of the first-team. The summer transfer window is once again expected to present plenty of change in the Blues’ squad but Badiashile will not be one of those alterations.
Chelsea are looking to sign a new centre-back when the summer window opens with Thiago Silva now widely expected to leave the club at the end of the season. The 39-year-old is set to end his four-year stay at Stamford Bridge when his contract expires at the end of June.
The club are looking to add another centre-back to deal with the loss of Silva, with Ousmane Diomande, Jean-Clair Todibo and Marc Guehi all options for the Blues. Meanwhile, the return of Wesley Fofana – which is likely to be in pre-season – will also boost options.
Fofana has not kicked a ball this season for Chelsea after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament last summer. While he is doing some individual work at Cobham, Mauricio Pochettino is not very optimistic the Frenchman will be back on the pitch before the season concludes at the end of next month.
Trevoh Chalobah recently returned to the team after missing the first six months of the season through injury. Chalobah sat out of Saturday’s draw with Burnley, with Badiashile his replacement that day, with a minor knock but there is optimism that the Cobham graduate will be available for selection against Man United later this week.
The same optimism cannot be said about Levi Colwill, though, who is still struggling with a toe injury. The England international has been absent for the last three matches because of the problem and we wait to see what his fitness is like later in the week.
