According to a report by The Athletic on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Chelsea midfielder Valentin Barco has revealed that he would love to see Argentina teammate Cristian Romero join the Blues, identifying the Atletico Madrid defender as his preferred signing for the Stamford Bridge club.

The 21-year-old made the revelation during a conversation with journalist Gaston Edul, who asked him which player he would recommend to Chelsea's owners if given the opportunity to request a new signing.

Barco responded by naming Romero, popularly known as "Cuti", making it clear that he would welcome the chance to play alongside the experienced defender at club level.

Since becoming an established member of Argentina's national team, Barco has shared the dressing room with several renowned footballers, including Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez. However, Romero remains a player he would particularly like to have as a teammate at Chelsea.

The 28-year-old centre-back recently brought his spell in English football to an end after completing a summer transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Atletico Madrid.

During his time at Spurs, Romero experienced several disappointing results against Chelsea. The Argentine defender faced the Blues on eight occasions, recording just one victory, six defeats and one draw. He also received a red card during one of the encounters between the London rivals.

Despite his difficult record against Chelsea, Romero has remained highly regarded as a quality defensive option, attracting interest from several European clubs looking to strengthen their backlines.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville had previously questioned Chelsea's decision not to pursue the Argentine during the summer transfer window, particularly as the Blues were actively searching for defensive reinforcements.

According to Corriere dello Sport, Chelsea were among the clubs monitoring Romero before he eventually completed his move to Atletico Madrid. Other interested teams reportedly included Inter Milan, Barcelona and Arsenal.

Chelsea eventually strengthened their defence by signing Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace in a deal worth £52 million. However, the French defender has suffered a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out of action for the remainder of 2026.

Romero's potential move to Stamford Bridge would also have presented certain complications because of the rivalry between Chelsea and Tottenham. Although relations between the two clubs have shown signs of improvement in recent times, a direct transfer involving Spurs' captain would have been a much more sensitive matter.

Tottenham have already completed deals involving former Chelsea players, including the signing of Tosin Adarabioyo, while Mykhailo Mudryk also joined Roberto De Zerbi's side on loan.

Nevertheless, allowing their captain and one of their most important defenders to move directly to Chelsea would have been an entirely different proposition.

Barco's comments have now highlighted his admiration for Romero, although the defender's recent move to Atletico Madrid means Chelsea would face a difficult task if they ever decide to pursue his signature.