Following his standout performances for Strasbourg in Ligue 1, 21-year-old central midfielder Valentin Barco was closely monitored by Marseille. Monaco also showed interest in the Argentine, while RB Leipzig and Tottenham Hotspur also carried out checks on the player before Chelsea ultimately signed him. In the current Ligue 1 season, he has recorded 4 goals and 5 assists in 1 appearance. The Argentine international, who has 2 caps and 1 goal for his country, joined Strasbourg from Brighton in July 2025 for a confirmed fee of €10 million. His current Transfermarkt market value is €35.00m. A report from October 2025 stated that Bayern Munich had been willing to pay as much as €40 million for the player.