There are reports that Chelsea is closing in on French and Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile. The blues seeks to strengthen their defense in January and are keen on signing the 21-year-old French international.
AS Monaco valued the young defender at around £35 million. According to the Times, the deal is at an advanced stage and could be sealed before New Year.
However, Chelsea manager Graham Potter has played down any speculations linking Benoit Badiashile to Chelsea, claiming he does not like talking about players who are not Chelsea players.
What did Graham Potter say about Chelsea’s pursuit of Benoit Badiashile?
Asked about an update on Chelsea’s signing of Benoit Badiashile at a Press Conference, He said: “My answer is I don’t speak about anyone that isn’t a Chelsea player. There are lots of people who get linked to this club and I’d be wasting your time and mine if I responded to everyone. I always say the club’s responsibility is to try to improve the team but my job is to try to improve the players we have here and the team. That’s what I’ll be focused on.”
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Graham Potter came under a lot of pressure following Chelsea’s run of poor form that saw the West-Londer club lose three consecutive Premier League matches in a row. Some of the fans were slamming the new Chelsea owners on their decision to sack Thomas Tuchel and appoint Graham Potter.
However, the Todd Boehly-led administration sees the appointment of Graham Potter as a long-term plan and Todd Boehly’s recent public interviews suggest that Graham Potter is the face of the new Chelsea project.
Graham Potter has called on the Chelsea fans to back him and share in the vision and project of the new ownership.
Potter said: “Of course, I hope they do, but I can also understand that when we’re not playing well and things don’t look as they would like, everybody gets frustrated. I understand that. I’m not naive, I know there will be people saying I’m not good, or this or that. It’s happened throughout my career.
“If you go back to Ostersunds and go on a website from the first 18 months, Potter was rubbish. So that is normal. There will be people in this room who think the same but I can probably give you a lot of evidence to suggest otherwise. Thankfully, they [the owners] have a similar opinion and there has been a lot of support out there for me in terms of interactions I’ve had with our supporters that understand the situation we’re in and are very supportive.
“But haven’t been perfect so we have to accept any criticism that comes our way when we don’t get the performances and results we want here.”
Chelsea are currently eighth in the Premier League with 24 points after 15 games.
