Chelsea have completed the transfer of Argentina international Valentín Barco from affiliated club Strasbourg, handing him a seven-year contract.
The 22-year-old featured seven times for Brighton, making six of those appearances in the Premier League during the 2023-24 campaign. He is the eighth player recruited since Xabi Alonso took charge.
Barco primarily operates at left-back but can also play in central midfield. He was part of the Argentina squad that reached the World Cup final and earned his fifth international cap during a 3-1 group-stage victory against Jordan.
He joined Strasbourg from Brighton on loan in 2025 before making the move permanent later in the same year. Barco helped the French club secure Conference League qualification and recorded 54 appearances during his time in Ligue 1.
Following Argentina’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final victory in Atlanta, Barco was involved in a tense confrontation with England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who appeared to make contact with his head. Barco remained on the bench during the match but had previously entered the field to celebrate Enzo Fernández’s equaliser. He is due to link up with his new teammates soon for their tour of Australia and Hong Kong.
The deal adds to a hectic summer of recruitment as Chelsea reshape their squad under Alonso. The club announced the arrival of experienced Brighton forward Danny Welbeck on Saturday, having already brought in Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace and Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. Denner, Marco Palestra, Emmanuel Emegha and Geovany Quenda have joined as well.
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