Xabi Alonso Just Called This Chelsea 16 Year Old Rare Like Bellingham
Chelsea’s 16-year-old midfielder Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli is earning rare praise from Xabi Alonso after strong youth performances and pre-season form.
Chelsea’s teenage midfielder Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli is making serious waves after new boss Xabi Alonso publicly praised his rare qualities during the club’s pre-season tour in Australia.
With a strong youth record already behind him, Mahdi Jazuli is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about talents at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea is currently recruiting new talents like Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestro, but has not signed any midfielder, and he can be a player who can play some time for the team.
Who Is Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli?
Born in Sydney on 6 January 2010 to an Australian mother and a father from the Chad-Sudan border region, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli moved to London at a young age and joined Chelsea’s academy at just six years old. He holds eligibility for England, Australia, France and Sudan, and currently represents England at under-17 level.
A versatile midfielder comfortable as a No. 6, No. 8 or No. 10, he originally started as a center-back before transitioning into midfield. He is with the Chelsea team for the pre-season matches, with the first match going to be on July 28, 2026: Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers.
Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli Past Performance and Youth Career Highlights
|
Season / Competition |
Achievement |
Age at Time |
| 2025/26 UEFA Youth League | Youngest Chelsea starter (vs Benfica) | 15 years, 267 days |
| 2025/26 UEFA Youth League | Youngest Chelsea goalscorer (vs Ajax) | 15 |
| 2025/26 U18 Premier League | Key player in title-winning campaign | 15–16 |
| 2025/26 | Appearances for Chelsea U21s (PL2 & EFL Trophy) | 15–16 |
| July 2026 | Signed scholarship terms | 16 |
Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli has already delivered several standout moments in Chelsea’s youth setup, showing maturity and technical quality beyond his years. In the 2025/26 season.
Mahdi became Chelsea’s youngest-ever starter in the UEFA Youth League at 15 years and 267 days old against Benfica. He followed that up by scoring against Ajax, making him the club’s youngest goalscorer in the competition.
He played a key role as Chelsea's Under-18s claimed the Premier League title and also featured for the Under-21s in Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy. The teenager has already trained with the first team on multiple occasions and is currently part of the senior squad on Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Australia.
In July 2026, he signed scholarship terms with the club and is expected to put pen to paper on his first professional contract when he turns 17 in January 2027, having turned down interest from several leading European clubs.
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Gulshan Kumar is a sports journalist at HCPTimes.in, delivering comprehensive coverage that spans from grassroots arenas to the global stage. With a sharp eye for both local talent and international drama, Gulshan tracks everything from the grit of domestic Indian cricket to the high-stakes action of international fixtures. Beyond the cricket pitch, he keeps his finger on the pulse of global motorsport as an avid F1 analyst and breaks down the high-finance chaos of late-night football transfer windows. Whether it’s a Ranji Trophy breakout performance or a multi-million-euro football signing, Gulshan brings accurate, fast-paced, and engaging reporting to sports enthusiasts.
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