Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Valentin Barco and while nothing is confirmed, all the signs suggest the Blues have agreed a deal to sign the Strasbourg midfielder.
According to many reports, Barco has agreed a move to Chelsea. Some reports in Barco’s home country even claim that the midfielder has signed a five-year contract with Chelsea ahead of the summer window.
Of course, it sees another player go from Strasbourg to Chelsea with the BlueCo connection remaining. Emanuel Emegha will also make the move to Chelsea from Strasbourg this summer, after Liam Rosenior.
Are you excited by Barco’s summer arrival?
Rosenior's Strasbourg star is incoming.
But there is more to Chelsea than just signing Strasbourg’s next talent. It’s not just being able to reunite the Chelsea manager with one of his Strasbourg gems. The stats prove Barco is perfect for Chelsea.
He is the ideal foil in a double pivot alongside Moises Caicedo, in a 4-2-3-1 system favoured by the Chelsea gaffer. Below, we analyse why Barco is not just a good signing, but the ideal addition for Caicedo.
The stats say why Barco won’t rival Caicedo; he will partner him
Barco wasn’t always a midfielder. Indeed, he initially began as a wing-back, but Rosenior was the architect behind moving the red-haired ace into midfield. It has allowed Barco to express his creative qualities.
Comparing Caicedo and Barco, the difference is clear. Barco has made 25 Ligue 1 outings this season, and Caicedo has played 26 Premier League games. A difference in quality, but the same number of games.
Barco has an XA (expected assists) of more than 6.30 while Caicedo has just 2.04. Barco has created 13 big chances, Caicedo just four. But Caicedo trumps Barco when it comes to the more defensive stats.
Caicedo has won 50 tackles in the Premier League compared to Barco’s 15, with Barco winning 48.2% of his duels and Caicedo north of 55%. Interestingly, Barco has still won 118 duels, Caicedo has won 138.
This shows that Barco is a creative player, still able to do the defensive side of the game. He’s renowned for his work rate and his stamina, a real box-to-box type midfielder, while Caicedo is a defensive shield.
PROVE ME WRONG: No midfielder is more perfect for Caicedo, than Barco 🔟
Chelsea have reportedly agreed a deal for Barco.
Barco suits Caicedo more than Andrey Santos and Romeo Lavia
In recent years, Enzo Fernandez has played alongside Caicedo and it has worked, because Fernandez likes to get forward. While hard-working and tenacious, Fernandez has that creativity that Caicedo doesn’t.
Barco is a very similar player to Fernandez, not just because of their nationality. Andrey Santos is a top player, but he is more of a transitional option, not one to actually go and join the attack in the final third.
Lavia is cover for Caicedo. The ex-Southampton star is simply a defensive midfielder, rarely risky when in possession, there to protect the defence. With Enzo’s future in doubt, and playing as a 10, Barco is ideal.
Andy Brassel recently told TalkSPORT: “It’s come from Liam Rosenior, actually. I think it really underlines how good Rosenior is with individual players. What he’s been able to do to with Barco.”
It gives Chelsea another workaholic in midfield, one who can impact both boxes and another attacking source from deep. This isn’t just a reunion for Rosenior, or an easy BlueCo deal, Barco is perfect.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox