Chelsea have reached an agreement for the permanent transfer of Argentine midfielder Valentin Barco from Strasbourg in the summer, as per Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues are continuing to take full advantage of the benefits provided by the BlueCo multi-club model, having already completed several transactions involving sister side Strasbourg
Mamadou Sarr is already integrated into the first-team squad after being recalled from his temporary spell with the Alsatian club, while the Blues also possess a pre-arranged agreement for Emanuel Emegha to arrive next season.
Meanwhile, Mike Penders, David Datro Fofana, and Aaron Anselmino all completed loan switches to the French outfit, whereas Ben Chilwell and Mathis Amougou sealed permanent transfers.
The next player set to join is Barco, as Fabrizio Romano reports that Chelsea have agreed a deal for the 21-year-old’s transfer to Stamford Bridge.
In recent months, Football Talk, citing French journalist Guillem Balagué, revealed that the London giants were ‘very close’ to signing the versatile midfielder who can also play at left back.
Romano has now added that Strasbourg have sanctioned his departure after reaching an agreement with Blues for Barco to join from June.
Barco first attracted widespread attention in Argentina, where his displays within Boca Juniors’ academy setup earned him promotion to the senior side under Miguel Ángel Russo.
Versatile fullback
He made his first-team debut for Boca in 2021 at only 16 years old against Unión de Santa Fe, becoming the fourth-youngest player in the club’s history.
Initially establishing himself as an adventurous left-back, Barco was later shifted into an attacking midfield role, with that positional versatility proving valuable during his ongoing spell at Strasbourg, where he currently operates in central midfield.
The 21-year-old’s first move to Europe arrived in January 2024 when he joined Brighton & Hove Albion. He eventually made his debut in a 4–0 defeat against Manchester City in April.
After an unsuccessful loan period with Sevilla, where he featured only nine times, BlueCo sister side Strasbourg secured a deal for the Argentine in January 2025, and he has since developed into one of the club’s most influential figures, particularly this season, during which he has produced 12 goal contributions.
While he has primarily operated as a midfielder this season, there’s a growing expectation that he will play at left back under Xabi Alonso amid rumours Marc Cucurella could be sold.
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