Benoit Badiashile tells Chelsea he only wants Napoli transfer

Benoit Badiashile has made his transfer preference clear to Chelsea, with the French defender reportedly determined to join Napoli despite interest from elsewhere in Serie A.

The centre-back is expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer after another frustrating campaign in which he struggled for regular Premier League football.

Negotiations between Chelsea and the Italian champions remain ongoing, with the structure of the deal still to be finalised.

Reports from Italy claim Badiashile's representatives have informed Chelsea that Napoli is the defender's preferred destination.

The Frenchman is said to have prioritised a move to Massimiliano Allegri's side because of the opportunity to play Champions League football and become a regular starter.

According to the player's entourage: "We only want Napoli. They're a great club and they're playing in the Champions League."

That stance has reportedly strengthened Napoli's position during negotiations.

Although both clubs remain in talks, Chelsea are still working through the financial details of the deal.

Napoli are understood to prefer a move that includes an option to buy, while Chelsea want stronger guarantees before agreeing to those terms.

Reports suggest the Blues are pushing for conditions linked to Champions League qualification or a minimum number of appearances that would trigger a permanent transfer.

Those discussions remain the main obstacle before an agreement can be reached.

Napoli are not the only Serie A club to enquire about Badiashile this summer.

Juventus recently made contact while searching for defensive reinforcements, but reports claim the defender immediately ruled out a move to Turin.

Instead, Badiashile is fully focused on completing a switch to Napoli, where he is expected to receive significantly more playing time than he enjoyed at Chelsea.

With Alessandro Buongiorno currently sidelined through injury, the French defender could have an immediate opportunity to establish himself in Napoli's starting XI.

Chelsea and Napoli will continue negotiations over the financial structure of the proposed transfer. If the two clubs can agree on the conditions of a permanent option, Badiashile could complete his move to Italy before the transfer window closes.