One million euros, and everything stalls
One million euros. That is all that stands between Benoit Badiashile and Napoli right now.
On Thursday it looked finished. Fabrizio Romano reported that Chelsea and the Italian club had shaken hands on a loan: 3 million guaranteed, another million in add-ons, wages covered by Napoli, a buy option set at 27 million next summer. The famous “here we go” had landed.
By Friday, nothing was moving.
Try it for $0.99.
De Laurentiis will not pay up
Gianluca di Marzio reports that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is refusing to sign off. The obstacle is a 1 million bonus attached to the buy option being triggered. He does not want it in the contract. Talks have gone quiet.
One million, on a deal potentially worth thirty. Transfers have died for less, though rarely this bluntly.
Di Marzio also says Napoli have gone back to Nayef Aguerd. The Morocco defender, now at Marseille, was set to sign for Real Sociedad this week until the Basque club found irregularities in his medical and walked away. Italian football runs some of the strictest medicals in Europe, which makes the whole thing a little richer.
Chelsea are left holding the problem
Badiashile cost 38 million when Chelsea took him from Monaco in early 2023. He was 21, a France international, and the reputation was enormous.
Three and a half years later the story fits into one number: 71 appearances. Injuries ate a large chunk of that time and a procession of head coaches handled the rest. Last season he managed a shade over 1,000 minutes.
Chelsea wanted permanent sales this summer for the players they no longer count on. Here they accepted a loan instead. It still is not done.
Discover the rest of the football news on our mathodds website and app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply