Xabi Alonso’s first signing for Chelsea nears as Valentín Barco reportedly joins from Strasbourg
Xabi Alonso gets his first signing as Chelsea manager in Valentín Barco, who comes from Strasbourg. Xabi Alonso was the big move for Chelsea fans who were expecting a change after a disappointing season that included three managers. With the manager comes Valentín Barco from Strasbourg, according to Fabrizio Romano. The left back originally started moving further up the field as a midfielder and became a revelation in the center of the pitch as a creative option. That change was made by Liam Rosenior at Strasbourg before he was hired and later fired from Chelsea. This could be a promising signing for the future that could also be valuable in the present. While Barco, 21, did not show very much during his time at Brighton, his move to full-time midfielder could provide Alonso with youth in the most important part of the field. Barco’s career Barco broke through as a very talented player from the youth divisions of Boca Juniors before a contract dispute set him back. When he was able to establish himself again in the first team, it was mainly as a left-sided midfielder, which laid the groundwork for a $10 million sale to Brighton. Barco has already played for Argentina (Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images) In England, he could not make a strong impact as he played just six matches. The next step was a loan to Sevilla, where he played just one more match than he did at Brighton, before being loaned to Strasbourg. His performance there convinced the club to invest around $8 million to buy him. The switch to midfielder allowed him to use his ability on the ball without focusing too much on the defending side, which is his biggest weakness because of his slight frame. This move could also add international experience, as the player born in Veinticinco de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, has already been called up by the national team. Chelsea-Strasbourg connection Even if Barco has had a very good season with Strasbourg, he would probably not be bought by a club like Chelsea if he played for a different mid-level French club. It is clear that the connection between them helps facilitate the process. The list of names that have moved from one club to the other is very long, with Rosenior’s recent hiring being the most notable besides the fact that the results were very poor for the manager. Players like Ben Chilwell, Andrey Santos, Đorđe Petrović, Caleb Wiley, David Datro Fofana, Aarón Anselmino, Diego Moreira, Ángelo Gabriel, Mike Penders, Kendry Páez, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Mamadou Sarr, Emanuel Emegha, and Mathis Amougou have moved between the clubs in transfers or loans recently.