Chelsea sign defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco for £35m

France star, 21, agrees seven-and-a-half-year deal at Stamford Bridge

(FILES) In this file photo taken on September 11, 2022 Monaco's French defender Benoit Badiashile (R) celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the French L1 football match between AS Monaco and Olympique Lyonnais at the Louis II Stadium (Stade Louis II) in the Principality of Monaco. - Chelsea signed France international defender Benoit Badiashile from Ligue 1 side Monaco on Thursday, January 5, for a fee believed to be just under 40 million euros ($42 million). (Photo by CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP)

Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe fights for the ball with Monaco's Benoit Badiashile. AFP

Benoit Badiashile of France fights for the ball with Ukraine's Mykola Mykhailenko in a European Under-21 Championship qualifier. AFP

Monaco's Benoit Badiashile, right, and Braga's Abel Ruiz challenge for the ball during a Europa League round of 16 match. AP

Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile, centre, battles for the ball with Metz forward Didier Lamkel Ze. AFP

Monaco’s Benoit Badiashile in action against Strasbourg. AFP

Marseille forward Arkadiusz Milik tangles with Monaco's Benoit Badiashile. AFP

PSG's Kylian Mbappe and Monaco's Benoit Badiashile. AP

Chelsea have signed France defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco on a seven-and-a-half-year deal, the Premier League club have confirmed.

The 21-year-old has moved to Stamford Bridge for a reported £35 million fee, having made over 100 appearances in Ligue 1 for the Principality side.

He has also played in the Champions League and been capped twice by the French national team, making his debut for Didier Deschamps’ side in a 2-1 win against Austria last September.

Badiashile becomes Chelsea’s third major central-defensive signing this season following the arrivals of Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana during the summer transfer window.

“I’m very happy to be here at Chelsea,” Badiashile told the club’s website. “I’m so excited to start playing for this club. I can’t wait to see the fans and start playing in the best league in the world.”

He is the club’s second signing of the January window after striker David Datro Fofana joined from Norwegian side Molde earlier this week.

“We’re delighted to welcome Benoit to Chelsea,” chairman Todd Boehly and co-owner Behdad Eghbali told the club’s website. “He’s an excellent young player who has quickly established a strong reputation for himself and has a huge amount of experience for his young age. We are sure he will form an important part of our team in the years ahead.”