Chelsea midfielder Valentin Barco has spoken to Argentine journalist Gaston Edul about the change in his position to central midfielder since arriving in Europe. He also named the player he would sign for the Blues ‘at any price’. The 22-year-old spoke on the YouTube channel run by Edul and his brother.
After joining Chelsea from sister club Strasbourg on August 2, Barco signed a seven-year contract. The Argentine started out as a full-back when he arrived in Europe with Brighton, and initially his main aim was to play as much as possible and prove sceptics wrong. However, Barco added:
“Then, as the games went by, they changed my position and I gradually adapted to playing in midfield, as an interior midfielder or in a double pivot. And now I’m definitely playing in midfield. It’s a position where I feel very comfortable.”
This will please Xabi Alonso, who saw Enzo Fernandez leave on deadline day to Manchester City for £125 million. The main options for the club in the pivot are Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Jordan Henderson. But Lavia has set the bar high with his Player of the Matchweek performance against Manchester United.
Barco also admitted that he had to start from scratch in Europe and it didn’t matter what he had achieved back in Argentina. But he never considered returning home. The biggest adjustment was the physicality of the game in England. He admitted:
“I think you obviously have to change physically, because here they’re robots. But it’s not just about your physique. You have to change your diet, your rest, tactically as well. Here, there’s much more emphasis on all of that, and when you change those things, your physique changes too.”
When asked who he would sign for the owners, Barco immediately said Cuti (Romero’s nickname). This might anger some fans as Romero had been at Tottenham for five seasons, but he has already left England. The defender moved to Atletico Madrid in August (reportedly for €40 million) and has a contract until June 2031.
Xabi Alonso Praises Valentin Barco’s “Argentine Heart”
Alonso gave his initial thoughts on Barco in September after he made his debut against Luton Town in the Carabao Cup. Barco played the full 90 minutes alongside Reece James, despite only joining up with the squad in mid-August after the World Cup Final.
Speaking ahead of the Leeds tie, Alonso said:
“He’s a competitor. You see this Argentine heart; he’s a fighter. He’s very good with the ball, he is very open to adapting quickly, and he is intelligent. When you have this mentality and intelligence, it’s easier to have a better impact and he’s doing that.”
Barco scored his first goal for the club in the 6-3 victory against Leeds and said he was ready to play more in the league. With Henderson being 36 and Lavia’s injury history, his chances should increase, and he could get the chance to play on Sunday against Sunderland.