Chelsea FC began the year in upheaval with the dismissal of Enzo Maresca on the first day of 2026. In his place, they called upon Liam Rosenior, who was settled at Racing Strasbourg with a solid project that convinced the London club's board. Furthermore, there is a partnership between the two clubs as part of the Blue & Co. agreement. The Englishman arrived at Stamford Bridge to continue the plan.

The Blues are undergoing a squad renewal that involves years of transfer business. While results in past seasons were not the best, some players are now finally settling in, and Chelsea is fighting in the upper positions of the Premier League and remains alive in the Champions League.

The recent signings of Andrey Santos, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, and Jorrel Hato are directed towards a clear line the club has regarding player development. Chelsea wants to solidify a good squad for the future, and its investments are geared that way.

This decision goes hand in hand with the choice of Liam Rosenior as manager. Chelsea's partnership with Racing Strasbourg means the Blues loan young players to France for better development, like Julio Enciso. But the London club also looks at players from the French squad to sign them.

This is the case with Valentin Barco. Liam Rosenior knows Barco very well, as he arrived at Racing Strasbourg in February 2025 on loan. The Englishman changed his position on the field and moved him to an interior midfield role, something that substantially improved the performance of the former Boca Juniors player. Barco became a key piece for Rosenior.

This makes the Englishman want to work with him again. European sources assert that Chelsea could go after Valentin Barco because he is to the manager's liking, and Racing Strasbourg values him at €40 million.

The Argentine defender has had active participation in the current Ligue 1 season. At 21, the player, 5 feet, 8 inches tall, has played 12 matches, accumulating a total of 2 assists and receiving 3 yellow cards in French football. Barco arrived at the club on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, seeking to consolidate his playing time in Europe after his stint in English football.

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