Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen made the long trip from England to Australia, but his stay in Sydney lasted only three days before he was sent back home, with an exit now on the cards. The most likely destination is Strasbourg, the club’s BlueCo sister side.
Liam Delap has remained with the squad, although his future is still uncertain as Chelsea could move him on this summer to create room for Danny Welbeck, 35. Nottingham Forest are among the clubs monitoring the 23-year-old, but his place in Xabi Alonso’s starting XI for the 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers indicated that a transfer is not immediately expected.
For Delap, this looked like an opportunity to persuade Alonso to block any potential move away. Instead, the £30million signing from Ipswich last summer struggled to impose himself and was overshadowed by Chelsea’s other attacking players, most notably Joao Pedro, who replaced him.
Joao Pedro changed the tone of the match after entering in the 66th minute, wriggling into the area before setting up Jamie Gittens with a superb assist. By the 80th minute he had his first goal, five minutes later he had another, and in the 89th he completed an eye-catching hat-trick.
Chelsea’s stance on Joao Pedro has been clear since early in the summer: he is not for sale. Barcelona’s interest is understandable, and there are few clubs in Europe who would not see him as an upgrade, but Chelsea have no intention of letting him leave. Delap, by contrast, may yet be available.
Joao Pedro took control of the game after coming on in the 66th minute
Liam Delap headed for the dugout after an hour, with the contrast between his display and Joao Pedro’s impact impossible to miss
Teen dreams
Two 17-year-olds in Ryan Kavuma-McQueen and Dastan Satpayev combined for the first of Chelsea’s six goals here.
It involved a lovely turn and through-ball from Kavuma-McQueen for Satpayev, whose finish was clinical after breaking behind.
Satpayev is technically not a Chelsea player until he turns 18 next month, but he was involved here as a ‘trialist’, with permission from his club FC Kairat in Kazakhstan and authorisation from his parents.
Reggie Walsh, 17, impressed at No 10 as he exchanged a one-two with Dario Essugo for Chelsea’s second goal. Landon Emenalo, 18, was flying down the flank from left back also.
This was a good opportunity for the kids, and the best of the bunch, in my opinion, was Reggie Watson. Still only 16 and the son of former Wigan midfielder Ben, Watson was a physical force in midfield.
When Alonso made nine substitutes after an hour, he was the only starter who remained on the pitch, and it is easy to see why Chelsea are so excited by this teenager.
Still only 16 and the son of former Wigan midfielder Ben, Reggie Watson was a physical force in midfield
Dastan Satpayev is technically not a Chelsea player until he turns 18 next month, but he was involved here as a ‘trialist’
Gittens gets back on the bike
Gittens had a hard 2025-26. His season was essentially a write-off from January, when he picked up a hamstring problem.
Yet he has now scored in three successive friendlies under Alonso – in their behind-closed-doors wins over Crawley and Bromley back in London and here against Western Sydney Wanderers.
We could see the confidence coursing through the left winger. Hopefully for him and Chelsea, this 21-year-old Englishman can remain healthy and enjoy a happier campaign.
Jamie Gittens (right) fires in Chelsea’s third goal in Sydney
Wanderers offer stern test
Wanderers finished bottom of the 2025–26 A-League table, so they were not expected to pose many problems to Chelsea, even with so many youngsters involved.
Yet it was possibly helpful for Alonso that the Australian side pressed high throughout. That tested Chelsea’s defenders, and their centre-back pairing of Tosin Adarabioyo, 28, and Josh Acheampong, 20, rarely looked comfortable in possession. Too many passes went straight to the feet of their opponents, who found scoring rather straightforward.
Acheampong was beaten too easily when Wanderers scored their second goal, for example. Aydan Hammond skinned the young central defender before stroking the ball beyond Teddy Sharman-Lowe in goal.
Lots to work on, Austin
Chelsea could do with Austin MacPhee arriving from Aston Villa to become their new set-piece specialist sooner rather than later. Wanderers appeared a threat from dead-ball situations, scoring at one corner which was flicked on from the front and nodded in by Anthony Pantazopoulos at the back.
