Who is Emanuel Emegha?

Emanuel Emegha is a Dutch Striker who was picked up by Strasbourg in the Summer of 2022, coming from SK Sturm Graz. The 2003 born forward still has plenty of years ahead of him, where he can grow into even more of a prolific striker. He departed Sturm Graz for thirteen million Euros, and could be already worth triple that in just one season. But why does everyone want him and why is he so good?

How Is He Doing In France?

Part of Chelsea's Blueco ownership group, Strasbourg are able to utilise a large scouting network across the world, finding the next big players who could turn into future stars, and are able to convince players to sign through showing them a career path where they could end up at Chelsea.

That is what can get players like Emanuel Emegha through the door. With no disrespect to Strasbourg, youngsters that join them will have higher aspirations than spending their career at Strasbourg, and players like Emegha will see the club as a way of showcasing their potential in a top five league, giving them the chance to end up at potentially Chelsea or another big European club.

Emegha was signed for just thirteen million Euros, a steal for what he could be worth in the years to come. Already in his second season in Ligue 1, Emegha has picked up fourteen goals and three assists across 27 appearances, a strong improvement from his debut season where he scored eight and assisted two.

Strangely, it was the Dutchman's highest ever goal tally in a single season, despite making the jump from the Austrian Bundesliga to the French top flight. However, in hindsight it isn't necessarily a big surprise.

French football is more focused on a attacking style of play, prioritising possession and showcasing individual brilliance. Naturally, footballers in the French league are more agile, smaller yet more skillful in their style of play. While Emanuel Emegha is all of that, he also possesses a huge frame, standing tall at six foot and three inches. So, not only is he such a threat with the ball at his feet, he is also an aerial threat, which is something that defenders in Ligue 1 may not be as used to dealing with. Although when looking into stats, you find that Emegha isn't necessarily the best with using his head, and loses out on many aerial duels.

Stats via Fbref

So what does make him so good?

Despite his huge frame, Emegha clearly doesn't find aerial duels as one his strengths. Instead, what Emegha focuses on is his play with his feet, prioritising being clinical in front of goal.

Via Fbref

As seen from above, what makes Emegha so good is that he is so accurate with his shooting already at his young age. The Young Striker may not necessarily take dozens of shots per game, but when he does, he is able to direct them towards goal on target, ranking in the 97th percentile for his shots on target percentage compared to other forwards in the top five leagues.

Emegha also achieves on average 0.66 expected goals per game, showing that he doesn't need to many attempts on goal before one eventually finds itself in the net, but he only needs a half chance in which he can turn into a goal scoring opportunity.

🇪🇺⚽️ | 𝐓𝟕 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐔𝟐𝟑 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒 ~ @DataMB_

4. Liam Delap (22) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 — 4.04

3. Emanuel Emegha (22) 🇳🇱 — 4.16

2. Samu Aghehowa (20) 🇪🇸 — 5.69

1. Mika Biereth (22) 🇩🇰 — 6.63 pic.twitter.com/vof5dsir8X

— Rising Stars XI (@RisingStarXI) May 5, 2025

This makes Emegha a highly valuable player to have for the big sides in Europe. Bigger clubs in Europe will face teams who will sit back against them, and not allow them to have big chances, and try to frustrate them into mistakes, meaning that you must take your chance to score when you get one, instead of firing blanks after five shots. Therefore, a player like Emegha who can find the net with just one average chance is perfect, as managers know that he can guarantee goals despite not having many chances come his way.

Where Could he end up?

Despite Emegha only joining Strasbourg two years ago, it already looks like he could be on his way out, with a host of clubs already working for his signature. His goal scoring form has already warranted the interest of all of the big clubs across Europe and rightfully so. With the season coming to an end, the rumour mill is spinning, and Emegha's name is on the tip of everyone's tongues.

Newcastle United are one of the clubs reported to be interested in Emegha, but there of course seems like there is a more obvious option in the Premier League to go to.

Considering Strasbourg are practically owned by Chelsea, wouldn't it be silly for the London club to allow one of Europe's best young strikers to end up at another club who look to be playing in the Champions League? Chelsea themselves don't exactly have a striker who is prolific, and Emanuel Emegha has the ability to transform into just that, with practically a whole year ahead of him.

🚨 Chelsea are interested in signing Emanuel Emegha. 👀💙

Discussions have already taken place between the two parties.

(Source: @Santi_J_FM) pic.twitter.com/PF4iZ4DgnG

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) May 9, 2025

The Premier League looks like the most likely option, as the biggest league in the world is enough to tempt anyone, and your current club being owned by one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League certainly helping to faciliate a move.

🎥 Emanuel Emegha. 🇳🇱

What a season for the 22-year old. ✨ pic.twitter.com/EmB8g2Srxl

— Eduardo Hagn (@EduardoHagn) April 28, 2025

Regardless, Emanuel Emegha is a top striker, and he has the ability to play anywhere. He will be wanted by clubs all across Europe. The only caution to take with the Striker is that he is still young, and only into his second season in a top five league. Emegha himself may feel ready to take the next step, but there is no need to rush his development, with another year at Strasbourg certainly not a bad place to develop his skills under ex-Hull manager Liam Rosenior.

Wherever he ends up, you can guarantee that Emegha is going to be a magnificent striker for years to come, and whoever gets him is going to be lucky, as he will guarantee goals over the next years.