This summer promises to be a new beginning for Chelsea Football Club. It does feel like BlueCo have recognised, accepted and are now trying to work on their mistakes. The decision to bring in XabI Alonso is the first indication of that. In the past, it is very likely that they would passed on the Spaniard and appointed someone who would be more open to working within the boundaries of their model.
Instead, Alonso has been hired as manager. Yes, not head coach. That fact has been brought up time and again in the media. A large part of that might be the optics that the club are keen on showcasing. It is almost a neon sign pointing towards the change they are willing to bring about in the structure at Chelsea after four disappointing seasons.
Yet, the first signing that the club could announce in the Alonso era might be very much in line with all the moves they have been making these last four years.
According to L’Equipe, Valentin Barco is expected to sign a six-year contract with Chelsea. The departure of Liam Rosenior and the arrival of Alonso haven’t changed anything.
Barco expected to sign long-term Chelsea deal
Barco is someone who has been linked with a move to Chelsea for months now. In fact, it would not be a surprise if a large part of the deal has been in place for a while.
But then, BlueCo have seen the reaction of the Strasbourg fans to Emmanuel Emegha ahead of his impending move to Chelsea. So, this one might have been kept under wraps just to make it easier on Barco. Of course, that is just a theory on my part.
It is very clear that Barco was always someone eventually expected to end up at Chelsea. He was linked with the Blues going back to his time at Boca Juniors.
Barco’s journey from Boca Juniors to Stamford Bridge
I have followed his growth from his Boca Juniors days and it has been fascinating. He, of course, broke through as a left-back. But a move to Brighton & Hove Albion did not go according to plan. While the Seagulls have an excellent record of developing players, the Argentine had not such luck.
Instead, it was a move to Strasbourg and working under Rosenior that revived his faltering career. The manager, so heavily criticised at Chelsea, turned him from a struggling left-back to one of the best creative midfielders in all of Europe.
Now, we will get to see what he is capable of in a Royal Blue jersey from next season if everything goes according to plan.
Sourav Mahanty
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.
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