Napoli are waiting for Chelsea to give the all-clear for Benoit Badiashile on loan with option to buy, but meanwhile Costantino Favasuli arrives from Catanzaro for €7.5m.
The Partenopei were already short on defenders this season, a situation that only worsened with a new injury to Luca Marianucci.
NAPLES, ITALY – JULY 14: New SSC Napoli head coach Massimiliano Allegri is unveiled at Teatro di San Carlo on July 14, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
A medial collateral ligament tear in his left knee means Marianucci is on the treatment table along with Alessandro Buongiorno and Sam Beukema, while Juan Jesus was released as a free agent.
COBHAM, ENGLAND – JANUARY 20: Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea looks on during a Chelsea FC Training Session at Chelsea Training Ground on January 20, 2026 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Jasper Wax/Getty Images)

#Chelsea #getty

Napoli are pressing hard to complete a deal for Chelsea's Benoît Badiashile, even as one of the goalkeepers on their books draws interest from Turkey.
According to AreaNapoli, relaying Sky Sport, fresh direct talks between the two clubs took place on Thursday over the France defender, but they have yet to unlock the deal.
The stumbling block remains the structure: Napoli are insisting on a loan with an option to buy, whereas the two clubs are still some way apart on both the formula and the finances.
The Partenopei, though, have no intention of backing off and will keep pushing to close the gap. In the meantime, an alternative has vanished, with Nayef Aguerd, a Marseille defender who had been considered, closing in on a move to Real Sociedad.
COMO, ITALY – MAY 02: Vanja Milinkovic-Savic of SSC Napoli reacts during the Serie A match between Como 1907 and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on May 02, 2026 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

#como #deal #badiashile

Chelsea and Napoli are still a long way off from agreeing a deal for defender Benoit Badiashile, according to Gianluca DiMarzio.
The Blues are looking to get the Frenchman off their books following an underwhelming three-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea need to streamline their squad, and Badiashile is surplus to requirements.
The 25-year-old is yet to feature in pre-season for the West London club, a sign that he has no future with them.
The Italian side entered the picture with a loan deal that includes a buy option. It looked like they were close to finally landing their first-choice defensive target.

#badiashile

Crystal Palace are making a move for Axel Disasi, who could join on a loan with an option to buy according to French media.
If you enjoy Talk Chelsea coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.
Earlier today we were writing about Chelsea's situation defensively. With Maxence Lacroix now signed, there are ten central defenders on the books. The Blues need to get moving, and the good news is that things could move pretty fast now.
With five of them likely to stick around in Xabi Alonso's squad and two potentially going on loan, three are left to be sold. Trevoh Chalobah is on the verge of joining Como, leaving Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi as the most likely to make permanent moves away.
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 19: Axel Disasi of Chelsea of Chelsea during the UEFA Conference League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Chelsea FC and Shamrock Rovers FC at Stamford Bridge on December 19, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

#loan

Napoli are prepared to cash in on Rafa Marín, with two foreign clubs monitoring the Spanish defender as the reigning champions reshape their backline.
According to AreaNapoli, relaying transfer journalist Nicolò Schira, Marín is "edging closer" to an exit, with a pair of overseas sides having already registered their interest.
The willingness to sell is tied directly to Napoli's incoming business: the club have reached a broad agreement with Chelsea to sign Benoît Badiashile on a loan with an option to buy, handing Massimiliano Allegri a centre-back of international pedigree.
CREMONA, ITALY – OCTOBER 14: Arayik Eloyan of Armenia fights with Cher Ndour and Luca Marianucci of Italy during the UEFA Euro U21 Qualification match between Italy and Armenia at Stadio Giovanni Zini on October 14, 2025 in Cremona, Italy. (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)
On the face of it, letting Marín go looks a gamble given Napoli's crowded treatment room. Alessandro Buongiorno is sidelined until January, while Sam Beukema is racing to be fit for the second league match, against Como. Yet the emergence of another option has changed the calculation.

#october #armenia

Napoli are pressing hard to sign Benoît Badiashile, with the Chelsea defender established as their leading target to shore up a backline hit by injury.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Badiashile has become the man Napoli want after Alessandro Buongiorno was struck down by a knee problem and Sam Beukema was left battling fitness issues of his own.
The Frenchman, a towering left-footed centre-back, appeals to Massimiliano Allegri as a natural stand-in for Buongiorno, and sporting director Giovanni Manna has been working on the deal since the club's training camp in Dimaro.
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 operation has, however, been placed briefly on hold. Chelsea are in the middle of a pre-season tour of Australia, with friendlies against Juventus and Milan on the schedule, and the move could accelerate on their return. The bigger obstacle is the structure.

#badiashile #beno

Max Allegri is eager to reunite with Federico Gatti, as it's reported Napoli asked Juventus to let the defender leave on loan with option to buy.
It is no secret that the Partenopei need reinforcements in defence, as Juan Jesus left at the end of his contract, while Alessandro Buongiorno will be out for at least two to three months following knee surgery.
A more expensive alternative is Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea, but the €30m asking price and reticence to let him go on loan with an option to buy make that difficult.
TURIN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 25: Federico Gatti of Juventus FC celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between Juventus and Galatasaray A.S. at Juventus Stadium on February 25, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
Instead, Sky Sport Italia transfer pundit Gianluca Di Marzio claims this evening that Napoli have stepped up talks with Juventus for Gatti.

#juventus #gatti #napoli #february

Maxence Lacroix says he has joined "the best club in the world" after completing his move to Chelsea from Crystal Palace.
The 26-year-old has signed a deal until 2032, with Chelsea paying a fee of around £52m to sign the Frenchman.
"I think it's the best move for me because it's the best club in the world," Lacroix said.
"I spoke with Malo. I spoke with Trev [Chalobah]. I spoke with Benoit [Badiashile]. It's easy for people to speak well about this club because it has a lot of big history and I'm really proud to be a part of it now.
"I spoke with the manager on the phone. We spoke about tactics, we spoke about how he sees the game. First of all, I was happy just to speak about football with him, and I saw that we have the same direction and desire for this club.

#club #lacroix

Chelsea have signed Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix (26), both clubs have announced. The two London-based Premier League sides reportedly agreed to a €60m transfer fee for the France international defender. Lacroix has signed a six-year deal with Xabi Alonso's Blues. The former Sochaux and Wolfsburg centre-back underwent his medical on Friday.
Chelsea were in the market for a centre-back due to the uncertainty regarding the futures of several of their defenders, such as Mamadou Sarr, Wesley Fofana or Benoît Badiashile. The Blues went for a Premier League-proven centre-back in Lacroix.
Lacroix only needed two seasons with the Eagles to become one of the league most reliable centre-backs. He joined the South London side in 2024 from Wolfsburg and went on to win the 2025 Emirates FA Cup, the 2025 Community Shield and the 2025-2026 Conference League, totalling 98 appearances across two campaigns with Palace. Lacroix's performances earned him a spot in Didier Deschamps' France World Cup squad.
GFFN | Bastien Cheval

#france

Napoli are zeroing in on Benoit Badiashile to complete their defense, which won't have Alessandro Buongiorno for a few months because of a knee injury, while Sam Beukema is dealing with a tricky Achilles issue, Corriere dello Sport informs.
The center-back opened the door to the destination. His personal terms won't be an obstacle. On the other hand, the Partenopei aren't close to concurring to a deal with Chelsea, as they are angling for a simple loan.
Napoli would be able to evaluate Badiashile for a season that way, as he has dealt with a number of physical problems in recent years. He made just 16 appearances in 2025/2026, for a total of just over 1000 minutes. The Blues invested €40M for him in 2023. They don't seem too keen on a temporary formula at the moment.
The Azzurri have also expressed interest in Jean-Clair Todibo, but he's not too high on their shortlist. Olympique Marseille are targeting him with more conviction. Federico Gatti remains a viable fallback. Instead, a proper investment would be needed to sign Tiago Gabriel from Lecce. He has a €30M price tag, while the Serie A runner-ups value him a lot less. He'd be useful for the lists, though, given his young age. Juan Jesus' return has also been pondered. He's still without a team after his contract ran out.
If they are concerned about Beukema's availability, they'll need a lot more than another injury-prone center-back to be serene for the entire season. It's time for them to seriously contemplate a splash at the position, without worrying about a potential future logjam.

#napoli #badiashile #won 't #season

West Ham United defender Jean-Clair Todibo is attracting transfer interest from Napoli, according to respected transfer journalist Gianluca DiMarzio.
The Hammers signed the Frenchman two years ago for big money, but he has struggled to live up to expectations in England.
West Ham do not necessarily need the funds following the big-money sales of Crysencio Summerville and Mateus Fernandes.
However, Todibo's inconsistent performances, and perhaps desire to play in a more prominent league, could push him out of the London Stadium.
The Italian club is searching for replacements for the injured Alessandro Buongiorno. They are eyeing several options, including Tiago Gabriel, Benoit Badiashile, and Federico Gatti.

#transfer #napoli

Lacroix has been granted permission to undergo a medical at Chelsea after the two teams agreed a fee.
The fee involved is undisclosed, though Crystal Palace were seeking around £55m for the France international.
Lacroix has impressed since signing for Palace from Wolfsburg in an £18m deal in 2024. The 26-year-old helped the club to FA Cup success in his debut season and has also lifted the Community Shield and Europa Conference League at Selhurst Park, the first major trophies in the club's history.
Lacroix also helped France to theWorld Cup semi-finals this summer and has won seven senior caps since his international debut earlier this year.
According toSky Sports, Chelsea offered Palace the chance to take Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile or former loanee Trevoh Chalobah as part of the package.

#lacroix #international

Chelsea have opened talks to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix, according to Fabrizio Romano. He is also open to joining the Stamford Bridge club.
The Blues are expected to strengthen at the heart of their defence this summer after an inconsistent campaign in which injuries and underwhelming performances exposed the rearguard.
Lacroix has emerged as one of the club’s leading targets following an impressive season in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s backline struggled whenever Levi Colwill was unavailable.
Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Mamadou Sarr all failed to establish themselves as dependable options over the course of the season.