Valentin Barco Bids Farewell to Strasbourg as Chelsea Move Nears

Valentin Barco announced on social media that he is leaving Strasbourg, putting his reported move toward Chelsea into sharper focus. The 21-year-old joined Strasbourg from Brighton for £7.9m in January 2025 and is now expected to sign a six-year contract ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Barco’s farewell message

Barco wrote: “Today I say goodbye to this club. I always gave everything on the pitch in every game for this shirt.” He followed that with a longer message thanking his team-mates, Liam Rosenior and his staff, Gary O'Neil and his staff, everyone at the club, and the fans.

“I want to thank my team-mates, who made everything easier for me; Liam Rosenior and his staff for the confidence they showed in me and for helping shape me as a player; Gary O'Neil and his staff for understanding me and helping me improve; everyone at the club who supports us every day; and the fans for the love they always gave me. Thank you, Strasbourg,” he said.

Chelsea’s transfer pipeline

Sources close to the Argentina international believe he is heading to Stamford Bridge, although Chelsea have not yet announced any deal for him. The move would fit a pattern between Strasbourg and Chelsea, who operate within the same multi-club model and have completed 13 deals since the start of last season.

Emanuel Emegha has already agreed a move to Chelsea within that setup, while Chelsea have also pre-agreed moves for Geovany Quenda and Dastan Satpaev. Quenda will join for £40m, and Xabi Alonso is due to become Chelsea’s permanent manager on 1 July.

Strasbourg’s latest exit

Barco’s departure closes a short spell in France after his January 2025 move from Brighton. His farewell makes the next step plain: Strasbourg lose a 21-year-old midfielder who arrived for £7.9m, and Chelsea appear set to add another name to a transfer path that has already delivered several moves between the two clubs.