Chelsea is poised to complete the signing of Argentine midfielder Valentin Barco from French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg. Fabrizio Romano confirms all documents are signed for the reported $65 million transfer. Barco, 21, previously played for Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion and Argentine giants Boca Juniors before joining Strasbourg in 2025.

He featured for Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he was involved in a heated post-match incident with England's Jude Bellingham after Argentina's semi-final victory. Barco scored three goals and provided nine assists for Strasbourg last season, helping them reach the UEFA Conference League final. Chelsea, managed by Xabi Alonso, has also signed Morgan Rogers, Geovany Quenda, Marco Palestra, and Emmanuel Emegha, while Marc Cucurella, Andrey Santos, and Tyrique George have departed.