Xabi Alonso picks his Chelsea favorite as only one youth player starts both friendlies
While Xabi Alonso continues to experiment with his Chelsea squad this summer, Landon Emenalo has already managed to grab his attention.
Xabi Alonso’s youth policy is refreshingly simple: if you’re good enough, your birth certificate doesn’t matter. While most managers treat pre-season youth minutes as a polite charity gesture, Alonso is actively throwing teenagers into the deep end.
Landon Emenalo and prospects like Reggie Walsh and Mahdi Nicol-Jazuli are getting proper pitch time instead of just carrying the water bottles.
It’s bad news for senior stars expecting easy pre-season strolls, but great news for some kids who haven’t even finished their driving lessons yet.
With his best mate Morgan Rogers announced, how many goals and assists does Cole Palmer get this season?👀
Landon Emenalo starts both Chelsea friendlies after impressing
Landon Emenalo is quietly becoming the breakout star of Chelsea’s pre-season tour, standing out as the only academy player to start both friendly matches so far.
The versatile teenager has clearly caught Xabi Alonso’s eye, backing up his game time by continually impressing the coaching staff during high-intensity training sessions.
Equally comfortable at left-back or in central midfield, Emenalo is proving he possesses both the maturity and technical quality to handle senior football.
Squad rotation is usually the norm during pre-season, but his back-to-back starts send a clear signal that he is earning his spot on absolute merit.
Who does Landon Emenalo’s rise affect the most?
Landon Emenalo’s rapid rise under Xabi Alonso creates immediate pressure across both the left-back and central midfield positions at Chelsea.
Despite Marc Cucurella’s departure, Jorrel Hato will be put on notice as he integrates after his post-World Cup rest.
In central areas, Emenalo directly threatens the rotational minutes usually given to holding midfielders like Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia.
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