The list of failed Chelsea transfers since the Todd Boehly takeover in 2022 is a lengthy one, but with the Blues sitting in fourth place under Enzo Maresca this season, the fruits of the club’s rather grotesque transfer investment are starting to bear.
Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have been leading the charge, with the likes of Levi Colwill and Malo Gusto forming a solid framework of a supporting cast that may just need some smart refining in order to yield a Premier League title contender.
The trick for Chelsea is to find out which struggling transfer purchases should get second chances, who should be sold, how they should be sold, and with whom they should be replaced.
As Chelsea frustratingly continue to back the floundering Robert Sanchez in goal, they also appear to be doubling down on another struggling defensive player against the wishes of their fans.
Give Me Sport’s Ben Jacobs reports that Chelsea are not interested in selling former Monaco center back Benoit Badiashile, because they value him highly and view him as a key part of their future project.
Chelsea like Badiashile’s availability to play across the back line, and, like Zinedine Zidane was at Real Madrid, they are smitten with the big Frenchman’s ball-playing ability and passing accuracy.
Badiashile was so touted by Zidane in 2020/21 that Real Madrid would have went for him as a center back signing behind Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, and Eder Militao if it weren’t for a transfer freeze induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although Badiashile has failed to assert himself at Chelsea, he hasn’t been nearly as poor as fans say. He is an intelligent, hard-working, and highly technical center back.
Chelsea may believe in Badiashile, but even that belief may only be temporary. They did sign Tosin Adarabioyo for free this past summer from Fulham and are monitoring other center back options, so the pressure is on the ex-Monaco man to make good on the potential the club still sees in him.
