In the last week, it has emerged that Chelsea have completed their first signing under Liam Rosenior. Valentin Barco will arrive from Strasbourg this summer.
Barco has sparkled for Strasbourg under the guidance of Liam Rosenior. The 21-year-old joined the Ligue 1 side on loan from Brighton in January 2025 and has since signed permanently, sparkling in 2025-26.
That means Rosenior coached Barco for a season. Pretty soon after Rosenior made the jump from France to West London, Chelsea were linked with Strasbourg’s versatile star, and now, a deal is supposedly done.
Valentin Barco appears to be Liam Rosenior’s first Chelsea signing of the summer 👀
Thoughts?
Valentin Barco is very close to joining Chelsea
Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Fabrizio Romano, among others, has confirmed Barco will join Chelsea this summer. There is a chance that Barco could be a part of Lionel Scaloni’s World Cup side, before Barco actually arrives at Cobham.
Not only have Chelsea moved quickly to land the former Brighton and Sevilla star, but they have done so by beating Bayern Munich to his signature. It might be another young player, but it is an exciting one.
Strasbourg's British head coach Liam Rosenior (L) speaks with Strasbourg's Argentine defender #08 Valentin Barco
Photo by Frederick FLORIN / AFP via Getty Images
A player that Rosenior knows well, and a clear sign that Chelsea are planning to keep Rosenior as boss. Details of Barco’s move to Chelsea had been unknown at this stage, in terms of a transfer fee or more.
Certainly, it will be a whole lot bigger than the fee Strasbourg paid Brighton, around £8m last summer. But La Gaceta report that Barco will put pen to paper on a five-year contract, lasting until June 2031.
Are you excited by Barco’s summer arrival?
Rosenior's Strasbourg star is incoming.
What Roberto De Zerbi has said about Valentin Barco before
Across London, Tottenham have appointed Roberto De Zerbi as manager in an attempt to haul themselves out of a relegation scrap. De Zerbi worked with Barco while the youngster was at Brighton.
Having thrown him in the deep end against Man City, De Zerbi once praised Chelsea’s next signing: “Barco showed a lot of personality. I was delighted with his performance – he will be an important player.”
Barco has all the traits of a player that Chelsea fans will love. Hard-working, able to play anywhere, and an attitude that separates him from others. Rosenior was key to his development and will continue to be so.
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