Chelsea has successfully signed Valentin Barco, a midfielder from Strasbourg, on a seven-year deal. The 21-year-old marks Chelsea's sixth acquisition of the summer, joining previous signings Morgan Rogers, Danny Welbeck, Emmanuel Emegha, Maxence Lacroix, and Marco Palestra.

Barco is set to participate in Chelsea's pre-season tour, with the team scheduled to face Juventus in Hong Kong on 5 August. While the club has not disclosed the transfer fee, Barco's journey in football has been notable.

Previously, he made an appearance for Argentina during the 2026 World Cup, where they finished as runners-up to Spain. His competitive spirit was highlighted when he was involved in an incident with Jude Bellingham following Argentina's semi-final victory over England.

A product of Boca Juniors' academy, Barco joined Brighton in 2024 for £7.9m but spent only one year in England before moving to Strasbourg after a successful loan spell.

This transfer marks the second player Chelsea has acquired from Strasbourg this summer, continuing a trend between the two clubs, both owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. In total, there have been 13 deals between Chelsea and Strasbourg since the beginning of last season.