Son of ex-Super Eagles defender Michael Emenalo earns Chelsea call-up for Australia tour

Landon Emenalo, the teenage son of former Nigeria international left-back Michael Emenalo, has been named in Chelsea’s travelling party for their pre-season tour of Australia after impressing new manager Xabi Alonso.

The 18-year-old full-back, who is eligible to represent the United States, England and Nigeria, has been promoted to the first-team group for the trip following a strong start to pre-season at Cobham.

Chelsea insider and BBC reporter Nizaar Kinsella reports that Emenalo is expected to fly out with the squad to Australia on Friday as Alonso steps up his preparations for the new campaign.

Breakthrough opportunity under Alonso

Alonso has invited Emenalo into the senior set-up for the tour after the defender’s performances in training and in early warm-up fixtures caught the eye.

The American-English-Nigerian full-back started both of Chelsea’s recent behind-closed-doors friendlies, contributing to consecutive victories over Crawley Town and Bromley.

Emenalo played a significant role in each of those games, helping Chelsea record back-to-back wins as Alonso assessed a blend of senior and academy players in a private setting.

Australia fixtures at Accor Stadium

Chelsea will play two matches during their stay in Australia, both staged at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

The Blues are scheduled to face Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday, 28 July, before meeting Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, 1 August.

The tour is expected to give Alonso further opportunities to evaluate younger squad members such as Emenalo in a more competitive environment ahead of the new season.

Yet to make senior debut

Despite being on the brink of a full breakthrough, Emenalo has not yet appeared in a competitive senior match for Chelsea.

He has, however, already been included in three first-team matchday squads across domestic and European competitions.

In April 2025, the defender was named among the substitutes for Chelsea’s UEFA Conference League tie against Legia Warsaw, but remained unused.

He was also on the bench without getting on the pitch in a Premier League fixture against Liverpool and a Champions League match against Pafos.

Busy season at youth level

Emenalo spent last season gaining experience across multiple age-group competitions for Chelsea.

The full-back featured in the Premier League 2 and U18 Premier League, as well as in continental and domestic cup tournaments for the club’s academy sides.

His campaign included appearances in the UEFA Youth League, FA Youth Cup, EFL Trophy and Premier League International Cup, underlining his status as a regular across Chelsea’s development pathway.

The Australia tour now offers the 18-year-old an opportunity to strengthen his case for a senior debut under Alonso, following in the footsteps of his father Michael Emenalo, who represented Nigeria at international level and later held senior roles at Chelsea off the pitch.