According to a report by Football London on Thursday November 5, 2026, midfielder Valentin Barco's confession that he hopes to one day play for Boca Juniors has cast doubt on his future with Xabi Alonso's Chelsea.

Despite coming with high expectations, Barco may end up being one of the players sold by Chelsea due to the club's costly recruiting strategy.

Regular opportunities for the Argentine midfielder are hard to come by in Alonso's current Chelsea squad due to the presence of strong competitors such as Jordan Henderson, Romeo Lavia, Reece James, and Moises Caicedo.

The former Brighton player is still trying to prove himself as a mainstay in the first team after making just one Premier League appearance since his £34 million move from Strasbourg.

Despite Barco's promising run under Liam Rosenior at Strasbourg, his fortunes have turned drastically in England, where he has made just a handful of appearances and had little chance to show off his skills.

The 22-year-old opened up about his goals and plans to the Edul Brothers, revealing that he wants to go back to the Argentine club where his professional career started.

I want to win titles, be important, and repay the fans for all their love," he explained. I am deeply indebted to it. I will return; I am accepting responsibility for my actions of yesteryear.

Barco discussed his time spent developing at Boca and how tough it was to leave after spending his formative years there.

My dream was to play in 35 games for the club, which I did from the age of nine. "It was difficult to depart because everything happened so quickly, but I believe I made the correct choice," he continued.

The fact that Barco had previously voiced similar sentiments toward Boca in the months leading up to his Chelsea transfer means that his remarks are hardly shocking.

Neither of the £60 million acquisitions—Barco and Emmanuel Emegha—has improved Alonso's first-team options thus far.

But if Chelsea make it to the European tournaments next season, Alonso supposedly loves Barco's fighting spirit, and the increased demands on the squad could lead to more opportunities for him.

Barco is still with Chelsea for the time being, as they may consider him a transfer asset. Nonetheless, Boca Juniors would likely not be involved in any quick departure, but rather another European club.