Chelsea target interested in potential move to join PL rivals in 2024 - Reports
Chelsea target Valentin Barco reportedly wants to join the Blues' Premier League rivals Manchester City in 2024.
The 19-year-old Boca Juniors left-back has made 21 appearances across competitions for the Argentine side, contributing a goal and two assists, since making his senior debut in the 2021 season.
According to the Daily Star (via HITC), City are prepared to trigger the teenager's release clause of £8 million. The Cityzens were in the fray to land Barco this summer but are now likely to snap him up in January.
According to the aforementioned report, Barco prefers a move to the Etihad rather than Stamford Bridge due to the success of Argentine players there. One of them is the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Julian Alvarez.
Alvarez has fared well at City - bagging 19 goals and six assists in 53 games across competitions - since arriving from Boca's domestic rivals River Plate last year. This includes 17 goals and five assists in 47 games across competitions in their historic treble-winning campaign last season.
The Daily Mail reported last month that Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion were in the fray for Barco, but the young left-back now seems likely to join City instead.
The 19-year-old could arrive on English shores as a Copa Libertadores champion, with his Boca side reaching the last four, where they play Palmeiras in the first leg on September 28.
How have Chelsea fared this season?
The Blues have endured a rather underwhelming start under new boss Mauricio Pochettino following an expensive summer overhaul, where they spent nearly £450 million on new arrivals.
Chelsea kicked off the Pochettino era with a hard-fought 1-1 home draw with Liverpool before losing 3-1 at 10-man West Ham United. They earned their first competitive win under the Argentine against newly promoted Luton Town 3-0 at home.
A much-changed Blues side came from behind to beat Ligue 2 outfit AFC Wimbledon in their Carabao Cup opener. However, Pochettino and Co. stumbled to a disappointing 1-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest last weekend, just before the international break.
The Blues, with four points, are languishing in a lowly 12th position in the Premier League, trailing leaders City by eight points. They next take on Bournemouth away on September 17 as they seek to move up the standings.