Badiashile passes medical and meets squad as Napoli close in on Chelsea defender

Badiashile passes medical and meets squad as Napoli close in on Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile has completed his medical with Napoli and travelled to join the rest of the squad, moving the club a step closer to confirming the Chelsea defender’s arrival. According to Corriere dello Sport, the Frenchman passed the second stage of his examinations, cardiology tests, at Villa Stuart in Rome on Wednesday, having already cleared the first part on Tuesday. The move is a paid loan worth €3m for the season, with Aurelio De Laurentiis holding the option to make it permanent in June 2027 for a further €27m. Badiashile then travelled on to Naples, where he linked up with his new team-mates in the afternoon following a morning training session at Castel Volturno. Massimiliano Allegri is expected to assess him on the training pitch before deciding how he fits into the defence, with a press conference set for Thursday ahead of Napoli’s season opener away at Genoa. COBHAM, ENGLAND – JANUARY 20: Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea looks on during a Chelsea FC Training Session at Chelsea Training Ground on January 20, 2026 in Cobham, England. (Photo by Jasper Wax/Getty Images) Politano: ‘With Badiashile and Favasuli we’re very competitive’ Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss, Matteo Politano gave his own take on the club’s summer business, welcoming the depth Badiashile and fellow new arrival Alessio Favasuli add to the squad. “The fans at our training camp were very close to the team. We’re preparing as best we can and we’re certain we’ll be ready. We’ve worked well this month, the team is strong, with the additions of Badiashile and Favasuli we’re very competitive.” He also praised Allegri’s man-management, crediting the coach’s direct approach for getting the best out of the squad: “Allegri cares a lot about working well, about making the most of each player’s characteristics. The boss talks a lot with each of us, he’s always direct, he always brings out the best in us.”