Chelsea is on the verge of adding Strasbourg midfielder Valentin Barco to their team for a fee of £8.7m.

It seems that Chelsea is making big moves this summer as they are reportedly set to sign Strasbourg midfielder Valentin Barco. According to sources in Argentina, the 21-year-old has been one of Strasbourg's top players this season and is now on the verge of returning to the Premier League. Barco had previously spent the second half of last season on loan at Strasbourg before the French side made his deal permanent with Brighton for €10 million.

However, it seems that his time in France may be short-lived as Chelsea is in talks to bring him back to England. While a final agreement has yet to be reached, negotiations between the two clubs should be smooth sailing as they are both owned by BlueCo. Interestingly, Barco has played under Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior during their time together at Strasbourg.

It's clear that Rosenior sees potential in the young midfielder and is keen to bring him to Stamford Bridge. This move would also be a blow to Bayern Munich, who were reportedly interested in signing Barco as well. Barco came through Boca Juniors' academy in Argentina before making a £7.8 million transfer to Brighton in 2024.

He has also been making waves in his home country as he pushes for a spot in Argentina's World Cup squad. In fact, he scored his first goal for the national team in their recent 5-0 friendly win against Zambia. In addition to Barco, Chelsea have also secured a deal for Strasbourg striker Emmanuel Emegha.

The 23-year-old has been in impressive form, scoring 30 goals in 71 appearances for the French club. With these two signings, it's clear that Chelsea is looking to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season. Make sure to stay updated with all the latest football news by signing up for Metro's weekly newsletter, In The Mixer.

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