Alonso’s first Chelsea match a tale of four strikers
Xabi Alonso's first match in charge of Chelsea saw the club beat Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 in a pre-season friendly in Sydney, with Joao Pedro scoring a nine-minute hat-trick to underline his status as the club's leading striker. The scrappy, high-scoring encounter also highlighted contrasting fortunes among Chelsea's other forwards: teenage trialist Dastan Satpaev impressed with an early spectacular goal, while Liam Delap continued to struggle for form, fuelling speculation about his future at the club.
Joao Pedro, left out of Brazil's World Cup squad, showed sharp finishing, power and pace, earning praise from Alonso, who called him "very, very hungry". Satpaev, a 17-year-old Kazakh forward, cannot officially join from FC Kairat until 12 August but scored after just six minutes and is being compared to Sergio Aguero. Meanwhile Chelsea are reportedly in advanced talks to sign 35-year-old Danny Welbeck from Brighton as a potential replacement for the misfiring Delap, and are also pursuing Brentford's Jordan Henderson, 36, to add experience to the squad following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
- Chelsea won 6-4 in Alonso's first match as manager
- Joao Pedro scored a nine-minute hat-trick
- Chelsea eye Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson signings
New here? Start with this
Xabi Alonso has recently become manager of Chelsea following a disappointing season for the club. His first match in charge was a pre-season friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers, which Chelsea won 6-4 in a lively encounter that revealed much about the squad's prospects. Pre-season friendlies offer new managers a chance to assess their players before competitive fixtures begin.
The match highlighted starkly different form among Chelsea's strikers. Joao Pedro, brought to the club as a principal attacking talent, impressed with sharp finishing and movement early in the match. Liam Delap, by contrast, continued to struggle, fuelling ongoing speculation about whether he will remain at the club.
The friendly also showcased a teenage prospect and underlined Chelsea's transfer ambitions. Seventeen-year-old Kazakh forward Dastan Satpaev caught the eye with an impressive early display, though he cannot officially join the club until August. Reports suggest Chelsea are pursuing experienced additions such as Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, indicating the club may reshape its attacking options in the coming months.