Chelsea face double transfer decision as Kerim Alajbegovic interest builds | OneFootball

Blues could overhaul wide options under Xabi Alonso after record Morgan Rogers deal

Jamie Gittens was on the scoresheet again as Chelsea beat League One side Bromley 3-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Thursday.

New signing Emmanuel Emegha was also among the goals once more - along with Joao Pedro - but reportedly picked up an injury as Chelsea followed up last weekend’s 3-1 win over League Two outfit Crawley at Cobham, with Xabi Alonso making it two wins from two to begin his Blues managerial tenure.

A host of teenagers, including Landon Emenalo, Reggie Walsh and Reggie Watson, also got minutes as Chelsea signed off with another victory before heading to Australia for the start of their pre-season tour.

Alonso has made a confident start to his Chelsea career and will have been particularly impressed by the performances of new signing Emegha, who joined this summer from BlueCo sister club Strasbourg.

Emegha netted 26 goals in 65 Ligue 1 appearances for Strasbourg and was made club captain last July. Two months later it was announced that he would join Chelsea ahead of the 2026/27 season.

With Joao Pedro currently Chelsea’s undisputed first-choice striker, Emegha was always going to have to hit the ground running to put himself in contention for regular minutes next term.

After goals in back-to-back games, though, he made a strong first impression before suffering a reported hamstring injury against Bromley that saw him omitted from Chelsea’s initial 27-man squad to travel to Australia on Friday.

He was left out alongside fellow new arrival Geovany Quenda, who is reported to be dealing with a slight issue that is not serious.

Gittens, who endured a difficult and injury-plagued debut season at Chelsea last year, has also made his mark as competition for places out wide ramps up.

Morgan Rogers’ £117million club-record move to Chelsea has increased Alonso’s options on the wing, with Rogers expected to spend the majority of his time on the left of the Blues’ attack.

New target: Chelsea could move for Bosnia and Herzegovina winger Kerim Alajbegovic this summer

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That has left Gittens and Pedro Neto in the dark about their respective futures, with their prospects at Chelsea confused further by the club’s interest in Bayer Leverkusen teenager Kerim Alajbegovic.

Standard Sport understands that Chelsea would have to consider selling Neto or Gittens, or letting the latter leave on loan, if they were to formalise their interest in Bosnia and Herzegovina international Alajbegovic.

Gittens’ fast start to pre-season has, however, offered a timely reminder of his quality in the final third and he will hope that he can continue to prove a point to Alonso with Rogers on an extended break following the World Cup with England.

Chelsea are not actively looking to sell Neto and have no immediate plans to offload him, though it is understood they would listen to serious offers for the Portugal winger, who is also on a break following his World Cup exertions.

Chelsea begin their pre-season tour of Australia and Asia next Tuesday (July 28), when they take on Western Sydney Wanderers at Accor Stadium.