Chelsea sign French international defender Badiashile

Chelsea signed France international defender Benoit Badiashile from Ligue 1 side Monaco on Thursday for a fee believed to be just under 40 million euros ($42 million).

The 21-year-old central defender signed a “seven-and-a-half-year contract”, according to a statement from Chelsea.

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Badiashile has been a pivotal figure at Monaco, helping the club finish third in Ligue 1 for the past two seasons.

“At 6ft 4in, Badiashile is a dominant defender in the air but equally comfortable with the ball at his feet, capable of playing short passes out from the back or switching the play with longer diagonals,” read the Chelsea statement.