What Chelsea initially considered doing with Emanuel Emegha before Strasbourg intervention

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TBR Football understands Chelsea considered signing Emanuel Emegha this summer before reaching an agreement to sign the forward in 2026.

As exclusively reported by TBR Football in May, Chelsea will sign Emegha next summer as widespread reports now confirm that an agreement has been reached with sister club Strasbourg.

The 22-year-old has been on the radar of Premier League clubs including Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Everton but Emegha will play his football at Stamford Bridge next season.

TBR Football confirmed that David Moyes was preparing a bid for Emegha in March, but Everton instead opted to complete a deal with Villarreal for Thierno Barry.

Sources also informed TBR Football that Chelsea considered bringing him to the club early when Liam Delap was injured – however, Strasbourg and Liam Rosenior convinced BlueCo and Chelsea to allow him to stay for another season. Therefore, they recalled Marc Guiu instead.

Chelsea considered replacing Liam Delap with Emanuel Emegha

TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has exclusively revealed that Chelsea considered bringing forward Emegha’s move this summer after Delap picked up a hamstring injury in the 2-0 win against Fulham.

Bailey states: “Chelsea via BlueCo have had Emegha in mind since last year, they even considered him to come in now when Delap was hurt but that was quickly discounted as they want him to continue his progression in France.

“Chelsea really rate this lad, they think he will be well suited to England when he arrives.”

Enzo Maresca confirmed that Delap will be sidelined between six and eight weeks, leaving Joao Pedro as the Blues’ only remaining senior option at centre forward.

The setback led to Chelsea pulling out of Jackson’s loan move to Bayern Munich; however, the Senegalese international was allowed to make the switch to Germany following the decision to recall Guiu from his loan spell at Sunderland.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeneß has already confirmed that Jackson will not move to the Allianz Arena permanently despite the Blues now securing a third option at centre-forward from the 2026/27 campaign onwards.

Emegha established himself as one of the brightest young prospects in Europe last term as he scored 14 goals and provided three assists in 27 Ligue 1 outings to secure Europa Conference League football for Strasbourg.

Emanuel Emegha outscored both Chelsea forwards last season

Rosenior ran out of superlatives to describe Emegha after naming the Dutchman as his captain for the 2025/26 season, “quality, energy, altruism, determination”, he told DNA Sports.

Indeed, had Rosenior not intervened with Chelsea’s plans, Emegha would have arrived in West London with the best goalscoring record among the current crop of centre forwards.

While the Strasbourg boss was influential in Emegha remaining in Ligue 1, the player himself thought this to be the best decision, as he will gain a year of European experience before arriving in the Premier League.

Liam Delap managed to score 12 goals for relegated Ipswich Town last season, whereas Joao Pedro scored 10 goals at Brighton & Hove Albion.