This time last year, Napoli were enjoying the success of winning the Serie A title. Fast forward a year, and they are tabling lowball bids to sign one of Chelsea’s cast-aside players.
Xabi Alonso continues to work in tandem alongside Chelsea’s quintet of sporting directors to improve and reduce his inherited squad. The Blues are not in Europe; it means the squad size must be reduced.
First Danny Welbeck and now Jordan Henderson! What is going on at Chelsea?
So far, five players have been sold, if counting Alejandro Garnacho’s loan with a conditional obligation that is said to be easily met. Marc Cucurella, Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Jimmy-Jay Morgan, too.
Chelsea need to get rid of a whole lot more, with the Blues pushing to sign Maxence Lacroix, Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck. Alonso’s pick of players for the trip to Australia gave more information.
Napoli bid £15m for Chelsea outcast who cost £35m
Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap, Filip Jorgensen, Trevoh Chalobah, Mamadou Sarr, Marc Guiu and plenty more could be sold. Even Emmanuel Emegha may find himself sold before the end of the summer.
Plenty of names available for the trip down under have not been included in Alonso’s squad. Benoit Badiashile is an example of that, with the French defender failing to have any kind of impact last term.
Alonso has decided he no longer wants Badiashile, with Chelsea required to sell four or five central defenders this summer. It was recently reported that both Newcastle and Napoli wanted Badiashile.
Now, Italian reporter Raffaele Auriemma claims Napoli have tabled a £15m bid for Badiashile, or €18m: “Manna [Napoli’s sporting director] has presented to Chelsea an €18m offer for the French defender.
“With the injuries of Buongiorno and Beukema, it would have been a risk to start the season with only Rrahmani and two inexperienced youngsters such as Marianucci and Rafa Marin,” Auriemma claimed.
It’s a loss for Chelsea, but what for Financial Fair Play?
Bought for £35m from Monaco in the summer of 2023, Badiashile has only managed to play 71 times for the Blues. It has been another example of BlueCo wasting money, and a parting of ways is required.
Chelsea have 10 centre-backs – who are YOU getting rid of? ❌
Colwill and Acheampong are 'untouchable'.
- Josh Acheampong
- Levi Colwill
- Jorrel Hato
- Wesley Fofana
- Trevoh Chalobah
- Mamadou Sarr
- Benoit Badiashile
- Aaron Anselmino
- Tosin Adarabioyo
- Axel Disasi
The £20m gap in valuation between when he was bought and now, shows just how much Badiashile has struggled in West London. But it is actually a profit in the eyes of Financial Fair Play and amortisation.
Amortisation is stretched over five years at a maximum, meaning Badiashile goes through £7m a season due to his transfer fee. Now three years in, he is £21m through the £35m fee he was bought for in 2023.
It means anything over £14m is a profit in the eyes of FFP. Chelsea then, might actually end up making a small profit of just £1m thanks to amortisation if a £15m deal to Napoli goes through this summer.
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