Emanuel Emegha is a Dutch professional footballer born on February 3, 2003, in The Hague, Netherlands. Standing at 1.95 meters (6’5″), he plays as a forward and is recognized for his physical presence, technical skill, and goal-scoring ability.
🏟️ Club Career
•Sparta Rotterdam (2020–2022): Emegha began his professional career at Sparta Rotterdam, making his mark with the first team after progressing through their youth ranks.
•Royal Antwerp (2022): In January 2022, he transferred to Belgian side Royal Antwerp. However, his time there was brief, with limited appearances.
•Sturm Graz (2022–2023): Emegha moved to Austrian club Sturm Graz, where he enjoyed a more prominent role, scoring 9 goals in 27 league appearances.
•Strasbourg (2023–Present): In July 2023, Emegha signed with French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg for €13 million. He quickly became a key player, finishing his debut season with 8 goals in 28 matches. In July 2025, he was appointed team captain following the departure of Habib Diarra.
•Chelsea (2026): In September 2025, Chelsea announced an agreement to sign Emegha, with the transfer set to take effect in July 2026. This move is facilitated by the shared ownership between Chelsea and Strasbourg under the BlueCo consortium.
🌍 International Career
Emegha has represented the Netherlands at various youth levels:
U15: 1 appearance
U19: 7 appearances, 5 goals
U20: 1 appearance, 2 goals
U21: 6 appearances, 2 goals
His performances have garnered attention for potential future senior national team call-ups.
📊 Career Statistics (as of August 2025)
Strasbourg: 57 appearances, 23 goals
Sturm Graz: 27 appearances, 9 goals
Antwerp: 1 appearance, 0 goals
Sparta Rotterdam: 36 appearances, 3 goals
🧠 Playing Style
Emegha is known for his blend of size and agility, making him a formidable presence in the attacking third. His ability to hold up the ball, combined with his finishing skills, allows him to be effective both in aerial duels and on the ground. His leadership qualities and commitment to his teams have been evident throughout his career, earning him the captaincy at Strasbourg.
Emanuel Emegha has agreed to join Chelsea in a pre-arranged transfer set to take effect in July 2026. The deal, which is part of the shared ownership between Chelsea and Strasbourg under the BlueCo consortium, will see Emegha sign a seven-year contract with the Premier League club.
Emegha’s move to Chelsea is part of a broader strategy by the club to bolster their attacking options, with the striker joining a forward lineup that includes Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Marc Guiu, and Joao Felix.
Here’s an interesting fact about Emanuel Emegha:
When he scored his first professional goal for Sparta Rotterdam (in a match vs Vitesse), Emegha dedicated the goal to a young teammate from his youth team, Ousmane Kader Kone — who had tragically drowned during a swimming trip when he was 12.
