Chelsea sign Strasbourg midfielder Barco

What the report says

Chelsea have completed the signing of Strasbourg midfielder Valentin Barco on a seven-year contract, according to BBC Sport Football. The 21-year-old Argentina international is Chelsea’s sixth addition of the summer and is expected to join the rest of the squad on their pre-season tour in Asia. BBC Sport said the club did not reveal the transfer fee.

Barco arrives after a short spell in France following his move from Brighton, where he had gone in 2024 after coming through Boca Juniors’ academy. The BBC report noted that he spent only one season on the south coast before moving to Strasbourg after a loan period there. His career path also links him to a growing number of recent moves between Chelsea and Strasbourg.

The signing is notable because it is another example of Chelsea and Strasbourg, both owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, doing business repeatedly in the transfer market. BBC Sport said this was the 13th deal between the clubs since the start of last season, with Barco the second player this summer to move from Strasbourg to Chelsea. The move adds to Chelsea’s squad as they prepare for a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong on 5 August.