Chelsea team news: Xabi Alonso names youthful XI as Blues face Western Sydney Wanderers in pre-season friendly

Xabi Alonso has named just four first-team players in his Chelsea XI for Tuesday's pre-season friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers.

The Blues kick off a six-game pre-season campaign with a fixture versus the A-League side, and the Spaniard has opted to name a weakened side for a game that is being played on a pitch in poor condition.

At Olympic Park, where Chelsea officially begin their pre-season tonight on an interesting pitch. #CFC pic.twitter.com/wEvxnjjO5A

— Jack Rosser (@JackRosser_) July 28, 2026

Alonso appears to have selected a 4-3-3- formation, with Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Dario Essugo and Liam Delap the quartet of senior players who have been selected.

Nevertheless, fans will be excited to see how a number of academy stars and new starlets fare, with Kazakh prodigy Dastan Satpaev being given a chance to impress in attack.

Who is Olutayo Suboloye?

England Under-18 international Olutayo Subuloye has been given an immediate chance to make an impact, the 18-year-old in line to feature in the middle of the defence.

Subuloye, who already has a contract until 2030, has already racked up 60 appearances for the Under-18s and Under-19s, playing a key role as the Blues won the U18 Premier League in 2025-26.

Landon Emenalo will start at left-back, while fellow homegrown talents - goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe, midfielders Reggie Walsh and Reggie Watson and winger Ryan Kavuma-McQueen - also find themselves in the spotlight.

Chelsea's substitutes' bench is packed with star names, including Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro.

New signing Marco Palestra also features among the replacements.

Western Sydney Wanderers XI: Holmes, Gersbach, Hammond, Scicluna, Di Pizio, Gillion, Pantazopoulos, Borrello, Thurgate, Ferreyra, Madahna

Subs: Ugarkovic, Milanovic, Morrison, Carluccio, Lual, Thomas, Barrie, Katrib, Rose, Cetinic, Hassarati, Waraga, Fransen

Chelsea XI: Sharman-Lowe: Acheampong, Adarabioyo, Subuloye, Emenalo: Walsh, Watson, Essugo: Satpaev, Kavuma-McQueen, Delap

Subs: Sanchez, Palestra, Colwill, Palmer, Gittens, Joao Pedro, Fofana, Anselmino, Nicoll-Jazuli, Kellyman, Curd, Estevao, Diakite, Lavia