Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images
Chelsea have confirmed their ninth signing of the summer window in Valentin Barco, a deal that was pre-agreed a while back but has taken until now to be finally announced.
Since Xabi Alonso took charge, Chelsea have made four signings. Morgan Rogers, Marco Palestra, Danny Welbeck and Maxence Lacroix. Barco is the fifth of five signings pre-agreed before Alonso’s arrival.
Chelsea have taken their spending to well beyond the £300m mark now Barco has arrived, even if the signing of Welbeck is not expected to have cost anything significant. Barco has set Chelsea back £34m.
A decent fee, but in terms of his potential and his possible resale value a few years down the line, Barco could well prove to be a bargain. Alonso gave the green light to Barco’s signing, as per reports.
Why Chelsea signed Valentin Barco from Strasbourg
Barco is one of five players to move from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer, along with permanent signing Emegha and returning loanees Mike Penders, Aaron Anselmino and forgotten star David Fofana.
Valentin Barco of Strasbourg
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But there is more to Chelsea signing Barco than meets the eye. According to Simon Phillips, Chelsea did not only sign Barco because of his potential quality: “Xabi Alonso might have OK’d Valentin Barco.
“But truth is it wouldn’t have made any difference either way because he was already signed way before Alonso. Chelsea signed him to stop his head being turned by strong interest elsewhere, simple as that.”
Where does Valentin Barco fit in at Chelsea… or does he?
Fabrizio Romano has already claimed that Emegha could leave Chelsea this summer. A loan is a whole lot more likely than a permanent exit, but it shows Alonso won’t keep a player because they only just joined.
Chelsea want to sign Jordan Henderson graphic
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The same goes for Barco. The flame-haired ace can play on the left of a defence or in midfield, but with the imminent signing of Pep Chavarria and the incoming Jordan Henderson, Barco is low down the order.
Barco will be, at best, a third-choice option on the left. Moises Caicedo, Henderson, Enzo Fernandez, and possibly Romeo Lavia sit ahead of Barco in midfield. Perhaps then, the Argentine might be sent on loan.