Chelsea have completed the signing of Argentinian midfielder Valentin Barco from Strasbourg, with Fabrizio Romano confirming a full agreement is in place. Barco began his career as a left-back before reinventing himself as a midfielder during a standout campaign in France, earning recognition from Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni along the way. The move is structured within the BlueCo ownership network, which holds both Chelsea and Strasbourg.
The player had attracted interest from a major German club but chose to commit to the Chelsea project under incoming manager Xabi Alonso. Earlier moves to Brighton and Sevilla failed to deliver on the considerable promise Barco showed in South America, but his Strasbourg spell has reignited his career at the highest level. Full formalities of the deal are expected to be completed next month once the transfer window opens.