The Dutch forward joined Chelsea from sister club Strasbourg during the summer but has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Blues under head coach Xabi Alonso.
Emegha’s preparations were disrupted by a hamstring problem that ruled him out of Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania. The setback came after he had scored in two behind-closed-doors friendlies, raising hopes that he could make an immediate impact following his arrival.
His involvement has since been limited. Emegha was named on the bench for Chelsea’s Carabao Cup victory over Luton Town in August but has not featured in a competitive match.
The striker returned to first-team training during the recent international break and played in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Portsmouth. However, his absence from the squad for the subsequent match against Bournemouth prompted further questions about his fitness.
Chelsea have now released training footage showing Emegha working alongside his teammates at Cobham. The 23-year-old was pictured pushing a weighted sled in the gym, with Marco Palestra, Moisés Caicedo and Maxence Lacroix among those involved in the session.
The footage provides an encouraging indication of his progress, although it does not confirm when he will be ready to play.
Chelsea travel to Everton on Saturday, October 17, giving Emegha another potential opportunity to be included in a matchday squad. His participation will depend on his fitness and Alonso’s assessment of his readiness to return.
Even when available, the forward faces competition for a place in the attack. João Pedro has been in strong form, while Danny Welbeck is another option for Alonso as Chelsea manage their attacking resources.
Chelsea’s absence from European competition also means fewer opportunities to rotate the squad across midweek fixtures. Emegha will therefore need to make the most of his chances if he is to establish himself in the first team.
For now, his return to training represents a positive step after a frustrating start to life at Stamford Bridge. The next challenge is turning that progress into competitive minutes.