Chelsea star agreed terms with European giants but Blues were unwilling to sell: Reports
Chelsea star Benoit Badiashile had a 'full agreement' to join Serie A side AC Milan in January but the Blues were unwilling to let go him, according to Italian media (via Football Transfers).
The Frenchman joined Chelsea in January 2023 in a €38 million transfer after showcasing his brilliance for AS Monaco in the French Ligue 1. However, things have not exactly gone to plan for him at Stamford Bridge, as he has failed to establish himself as a nailed-on starter for Mauricio Pochettino.
In the Blues' most recent 4-1 defeat against Liverpool in the league, the 22-year-old had an unconvincing outing, looking jittery and nervy. He tripped Diogo Jota inside the box to concede a penalty and played Nunez onside for the Reds' fourth among other glaring errors.
As per the report, Badiashile had already started getting linked with a move to Milan from December 2023. Ultimately, Milan failed to get a deal done. Another stumbling block in the deal could have been their financial difficulties in executing a permanent transfer and instead possibly opting for a loan move.
Chelsea might have found their "next Musiala" in 18-year-old star who is a "magnet in the box"
Chelsea might have found their "next Musiala" in the form of 18-year-old academy wonderkid Leo Castledine, who made his debut for the club in their 6-1 rout of Middlesbrough in the second leg of the EFL Cup semifinal.
Jamal Musiala was tearing defenses up in Chelsea's famed Cobham academy before he made the move to Bayern Munich for just €200k due to talks of a senior contract breaking down. He has now established himself as one of the world's best young players and has already made nearly 150 senior appearances for the German giants before turning 21.
Castledine seems to have Musiala's ability to hold the ball in tight situations and dribble past players with ease. Moreover, much like the German star, Castledine can be deployed in a wide variety of roles, including central midfield, attacking midfield, out wide, as a winger and even up top.
He has delivered 30 goals and 13 assists in 94 appearances across all age groups. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated last year that the youngster was part of a "crazy amount of talent" at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea hall of famer John Terry described the midfielder as "a magnet in the box" after watching him on debut against Middlesbrough.