Chelsea Football Club has officially signed Argentine midfielder Valentin Barco to a seven-year contract. The 22-year-old joins the London club from its affiliate, Strasbourg.
Barco, who can play in midfield and at left-back, gained notoriety last month following his actions after Argentina's World Cup semi-final victory over England. During the match, he was involved in a verbal exchange with England's Jude Bellingham after a goal and was seen taunting English players. Following the final whistle, Bellingham appeared to slap Barco on the back of the head as Argentina celebrated, leading to a minor scuffle.
Barco's World Cup participation was limited, with only one substitute appearance for a total of 19 minutes. He previously played for Boca Juniors before moving to Brighton in 2024. After struggling to establish himself at Brighton, he spent time on loan at Sevilla and then permanently moved to Strasbourg in February 2025.
Last season, Barco contributed 12 goals and assists for Strasbourg, earning him a place in Argentina's World Cup squad. His move to Chelsea follows the departure of left wing-back Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid. Chelsea is also reportedly in negotiations with Rayo Vallecano for Pep Chavarria.
Barco becomes Chelsea's seventh signing of the summer transfer window. His transfer is part of an ongoing trend of player movement between Strasbourg and Chelsea since BlueCo acquired the French club in 2023.