While Enzo Fernandez had a subdued performance for Argentina, one player Chelsea are potentially looking to sign to replace him made the most of his opportunity.
The midfielder has cast doubt over his future at Stamford Bridge with recent comments, hinting at a potential move to Real Madrid is in his vision.
Chelsea have been linked with a number of players who could be seen as replacements for the World cup winner. The Blues are reportedly targeting Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace.
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Chelsea target Valentin Barco outperforms Enzo Fernandez for Argentina
They are also keen on Valentin Barco at Strasbourg, who was brought off the bench during Argentina’s 5-0 win over Zambia in a game where Fernandez was replaced.
While the current Chelsea man struggled, the potential future Blue made a real impact, scoring late on in the game to mark a promising cameo.
Argentina v Zambia - International Friendly
Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images
He also received praise from the Argentine media for his performance. TYCSports handed him a 7/10 rating for his display, saying:
“He played as an inside midfielder but without a fixed position. Simple and effective at one- and two-touch play. He had the pleasure of scoring his first goal for the national team. A very positive night for Valentín.”
Fernandez received just a 6/10, with them stating: “It took him a while to find his rhythm, until he gained more playing time and finally loosened up when he went over five.”
A deal for Barco does not look difficult for the Blues to pull off, given the fact that he currently features for a fellow BlueCo club in Strasbourg.
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Why Chelsea really want Barco this summer
Despite him clearly being a talented player, there is a different reason why Chelsea are keen to secure the youngster’s signature as soon as possible.
The Blues want to bring in Barco to fend off interest from other big sides, with his talents not going unnoticed by some of the top clubs.
There is even talk that they could loan the Argentine back to Strasbourg in a move that they have done before with a number of their players.
Both Mamadou Sarr and Emanuel Emegha have been allowed to stay at the Ligue 1 side to further their development, although the defender was brought back to Stamford Bridge earlier than anticipated.
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