Top French source reports interest in €37m defender – Chelsea will be happy with deal | OneFootball

Chelsea are focused on their Conference League game against Real Betis tonight, but that hasn’t stopped other clubs getting their summer transfer business underway.

Already there is talk about one former first team player moving away. Benoit Badiashile has gradually fallen down the pecking order and become a B team option at best, and today L’Equipe run a cover story which claims that Marseille, managed by Roberto De Zerbi, are keen to bring the 24 year old in.

Chelsea happy to let defender go after disappointing season

Benoit Badiashile laughs with Marc Cucurella at full time. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

There aren’t a huge number of details included, and it seems that Badiashile is just one name on a list including the likes of Aymeric Laporte, but whether or not he ends up at Marseille it’s the first concrete sign that the former Monaco man is up for sale.

5 Premier League appearances even with Wesley Fofana out injured, plus Renato Veiga and Axel Disasi loaned out tells its own story.  The fact that Trevoh Chalobah was recalled from Crystal Palace and was immediately trusted more than Badiashile tells another.

Chelsea set to begin defensive clearout as part of important improvements

We’ve said many times that Chelsea are going to have to sell some defenders to make space for new players, and this looks like a very likely avenue now.

Dean Huijsen may be off the table but there are a lot of other players we’re interested in, including Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace. Selling Badiashile is a perfect way to clear some space. If Badiashile and former Monaco colleague Axel Disasi both go, as looks likely, that’s even better.

The question is how much return we get for two players who cost something like €78m together. Badiashile cost €37m – how much of that would we get back after a couple of disappointing seasons?