Chelsea agree first signing of the summer on long-term deal
It is safe to say that Chelsea already have quite a few deals in the pipeline for this summer. Geovany Quenda, one of the brightest young talents in world football, will be joining from Sporting CP. He is viewed by many as an Estevao-level talent. Then there is Emmanuel Emegha. When not injured, he has been a consistent goalscorer for Strasbourg and even captained them. Dastan Satpaev is also expected to arrive, having made Champions League history last season.
So, Xabi Alonso is already going to have quite a few fresh faces to work with. And now, it looks like another name has been added to that mix.
It looks like Emegha is not going to be the only player joining Chelsea from Strasbourg this summer. He will be joined by one of his most highly-rated teammates.
According to journalist German Garcia Grova, Chelsea have signed Valentin Barco. The club have found an agreement with Strasbourg and the negotiations were straightforward. It is a long-term deal.
Chelsea signing Valentin Barco this summer from Strasbourg
Barco might have failed at Brighton but he has developed into one of the best rising midfielders in Europe during his time at Strasbourg. He was even nominated for Ligue 1’s Young Player of the Season.
Not many would have seen this rise coming, especially for someone who broke through as a left-back at Boca Juniors. So, the Argentine international as well as the Strasbourg coaching staff deserve a ton of credit for the job that they have done.
Of course, this move is not going to make BlueCo any more popular amongst Strasbourg fans. A large section of their fanbase is already unhappy with the number of players who have departed the club for Chelsea in recent times, as well as manager Liam Rosenior in January.
Now, it remains to be seen when that move is going to be made official. And when Barco does arrive, having already announced he is leaving Strasbourg, what kind of role will he end up playing under Alonso?
Barco could become an Alonso favourite
It is worth mentioning that Barco is capable of playing in a variety of positions. That could help him become a key player under Alonso.
Alonso is the type of manager who might not stick to one system and adjust according to the situation and opponent. Even going back to his playing days, the Spaniard has mentioned how top teams need to have multiple game plans.
As a result, someone with the versatility of Barco could be perfect for Alonso and his system. Now, it remains to be seen how it all plays out. But this could turn out to be a better signing than people are giving it credit for.
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade.
His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow.
Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
View all articles →
