In a recent report from Football.London, it was mentioned that Chelsea are showing keen interest in signing Benoit Badiashile from Monaco as they look to bolster the first-team squad for the second half of this season.
It is understood that the Blues will have to step up their game in order to secure Champions League place at the end of this season as they sit in the 8th position of the Premier League table. Thus, there is an expectation that Graham Potter will be busy in the January transfer window to bring in decent reinforcements and Benoit fits the bill perfectly.
Badiashile’s Impressive Numbers For Monaco This Season
Benoit Badiashile is having a solid campaign at Louis II Stadium as he has managed to put in a series of dominant displays for them on the defensive third of the pitch. The 21-year-old has made 16 appearances this season finding the back of the net on two occasions in the French first division.
The French sensation has been a rock at the back and deserves a lot of credit for averaging 0.9 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 3.5 clearances per game in Ligue 1. He has also been excellent when distributing possession from the back, as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 86.1% in the French top flight (stats via whoscored).
Should Graham Potter Bring Him To Chelsea?
Benoit is a solid defender who usually remains calm under pressure and can make some timely interceptions to win the ball back for his team. He is often quick to spot the danger and clear his lines. The French talent can get stuck in with some solid tackles to make life difficult for the opposition as he doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed. Furthermore, he is also proficient at playing his way out from the back and distributing possession to his teammates.
Standing at 1.94 meters, he has got the strength to dominate the opposition in the air and can even chip in by scoring the odd goal from time to time. At 21, he has a lot of room to develop into one of the best defenders in Europe and could be a decent understudy for Thiago Silva.
Graham Potter has done well to identify this youngster and should be wise to make a bid in January as he would be a brilliant addition to the squad. He would definitely add more bite and steel to the defensive department at Stamford Bridge while bringing more tenacity into the backline.
