Chelsea have signed Argentina international Valentín Barco from Strasbourg on a seven-year deal, marking the eighth signing of new manager Xabi Alonso's tenure as he reshapes the squad. The 22-year-old, primarily a left-back who can also operate in central midfield, previously had a brief spell at Brighton and was part of the Argentina squad that finished as World Cup runners-up.

Barco made seven appearances for Brighton, including six in the Premier League during the 2023-24 season, before moving to Strasbourg initially on loan in 2025 and later signing permanently, making 54 appearances in total for the Ligue 1 club and helping them qualify for the Conference League. He won his fifth Argentina cap in a 3-1 group-stage win over Jordan at the World Cup and was involved in a heated altercation with England's Jude Bellingham after Argentina's semi-final win. He is expected to join Chelsea's squad on their upcoming tour of Australia and Hong Kong, following other summer arrivals including Danny Welbeck, Maxence Lacroix and Morgan Rogers.