Chelsea Close in on Second Summer Signing After Surprise Social Media Message

The Blues are looking to rejuvenate their squad under new manager Xabi Alonso.

Xabi Alonso’s new squad is already taking shape. | Image Photo Agency/Getty Images

Strasbourg star Valentín Barco posted a surprise goodbye message to the French side on social media, with a summer switch to Chelsea widely expected.

It emerged last month that Chelsea already had an agreement with Barco, a central midfielder with significant experience at left back, to move to Stamford Bridge this summer, but at the time, Chelsea were not thought to have decided whether to follow through with a deal.

While that confirmation has not yet formally arrived, Barco has made it clear he will not be playing for Strasbourg next season, taking to Instagram to bid farewell to the Ligue 1 team.

“Today I say goodbye to this club,” he wrote in a lengthy statement which also included a message of thanks for former manager Liam Rosenior, who was in charge at Chelsea when news of a possible switch for Barco first emerged.

“Thank you very much for this year and a half, and many successes for the future.”

If Barco does seal a switch to Chelsea as expected, he will follow striker Emmanuel Emegha in swapping eastern France for Stamford Bridge Blues this summer, with Chelsea taking full advantage of their shared ownership with Strasbroug.

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Why Chelsea Want Barco

Valentín Barco could be joining Chelsea. | Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images

Chelsea’s interest in Barco is nothing new.

When the Argentine was coming through at Boca Juniors, Chelsea were towards the front of the queue of suitors looking to bring him to Europe. At that point, Barco was almost exclusively being used as a left back, but his ability to invert into midfield made him seem perfect for the modern game.

Barco ultimately declined Chelsea’s offer and instead joined Brighton & Hove Albion, where he struggled to impress and was afforded just seven appearances before being loaned to Sevilla, where things also did not go to plan.

Needing to reignite his career, Barco finally listened to the BlueCo ownership group as he sealed a switch to Strasbourg, joining on an initial loan before a permanent transfer clause was triggered. It was in France that the 21-year-old rediscovered his best form.

His Strasbourg career began as a left wing back under Rosenior, who eventually turned Barco into a full-time midfielder and saw great success from that shift.

Just how Barco would fit in at Chelsea may well depend on the formation deployed by new manager Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard favored a 3-4-2-1 setup at Bayer Leverkusen and could return to that shape at Stamford Bridge, which would be good news for Barco because of his extensive experience in that system under Rosenior.

Capable of covering Marc Cucurella on the left or helping out in the heart of midfield, Barco brings the sort of versatility held in high regard by modern managers, although fans may well need convincing after growing weary of signing young players.

Barco’s previous Premier League struggles will not inspire initial confidence, but the Argentina international will hope to prove how much he has grown during his two years away from England.

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