Juventus considering £35m move for Chelsea star in January transfer window

Reports indicate that Italian giants Juventus are considering a potential transfer move for Chelsea ace Benoit Badiashile during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Blues paid £35m to sign Badiashile from French top-flight club Monaco in January 2023 – but he’s struggled to establish himself as a first-team regular.

Badiashile has featured just once in the Premier League so far this season under head coach Enzo Maresca and has mainly found himself as an unused substitute.

Juventus, meanwhile, are in the middle of a defensive crisis after two players – Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal – recently suffered long-term injuries.

The Turin-based club are hoping to bolster their backline in January and have added Chelsea centre-back Badiashile to their shortlist as a potential option, according to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.

France international Badiashile had played a total of 41 games for Chelsea to date but former Blues star William Gallas recently warned he wasn’t good enough.

‘When I saw Benoit Badiashile at Monaco about two years ago, I knew then that he wasn’t the sort of player that would thrive in the Premier League,’ Gallas told Prime Casino.

‘He has quality, but not at Premier League level. I was really surprised when Chelsea signed him and now he is suffering on the bench because he isn’t playing. 

‘He isn’t feeling good because he isn’t playing games but I don’t think he is good enough to be starting, this is when you have to look at the scouts and the people that make the signings at Chelsea.’ 

Badiashile signed a seven-and-a-half year contract with Chelsea when he agreed to move from Monaco at the start of 2023.

But Maresca, who became Chelsea’s manager in July, has settled on a centre-back partnership of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana this season.

It is thought that Juventus, managed by Thiago Motta, would be open to either a loan or permanent deal for Badiashile.

Juventus have enjoyed a positive start to the season under Motta, with the club unbeaten from their opening 12 Serie A matches and just two points behind league leaders Napoli.