This 16-year-old Sydney kid is in line for his Chelsea debut. Just don’t get attached

Enjoy the show. Just don’t get too attached.When Chelsea face the Western Sydney Wanderers at Accor Stadium on Tuesday night, in the first of two pre-season exhibition matches they will play as part of the Sydney Super Cup, Australian teenager Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli is in the mix to start his first official senior match for the club - and in the city where he was born, no less.It shapes as a fairytale homecoming for Nicoll-Jazuli, 16, one of the hottest prospects to have emerged from Chelsea’s academy in recent years.But for those already dreaming of what he would look like in a Socceroos jersey, there’s probably no fairytale ending to look forward to.Born to an Australian mother and a father who reportedly hails from the region near the border of Sudan and Chad, midfielder Nicoll-Jazuli has been described as the ‘next Jude Bellingham’ by The Sun, and tipped to make his Premier League debut this season.The Athletic has reported that he will sign his first professional contract when he turns 17 in January, having turned down opportunities to join other leading European teams to stay at the club where he has trained since he was six years old.Madhi Nicoll-Jazuli (in orange bib) trains with Chelsea at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Sunday.Getty ImagesLast season, Nicoll-Jazuli became the youngest Chelsea player to start a match in the UEFA Youth League, and he has already been involved in first-team training with the Blues under their two previous full-time managers, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.His inclusion in Chelsea’s squad for their tour of Australia says plenty about how he is viewed by Xabi Alonso, their new boss, who spoke on Monday about being blown away by the quality of the club’s academy talent.But sources at Football Australia are resigned to the fact that Nicoll-Jazuli will probably remain out of reach for the Socceroos, with a tug-of-war already under way between England, whom he has played for at under-16s and under-17s level, and France, another of the four nations he is eligible to represent.Sydney Super CupChelsea FC v Western Sydney Wanderers: Tuesday, July 28, Accor Stadium, 7:45 pmTottenham Hotspur v Sydney FC: Wednesday, July 29, Allianz Stadium, 7:45 pmChelsea FC v Tottenham Hotspur: Saturday, August 1, Accor Stadium, 7:45 pmUnlike many of the other dual nationals who the Socceroos have successfully courted in recent years, Nicoll-Jazuli left Australia at such a young age that FA anticipates that he will feel no strong emotional pull towards wearing the green and gold - though he remains on the federation’s monitoring lists.Nicoll-Jazuli started for Chelsea in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Crawley Town last month, but Tuesday’s clash against the Wanderers could be the first time he lines up in a senior match open to public eyes.Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli has already represented England at youth level.The FA via Getty ImagesAlonso wasn’t aware of his Australian heritage until the Blues touched down in Sydney, but was more than happy to talk up a player who is seen as the jewel of the club’s academy.“I was informed yesterday that he was born in Sydney, so it was a surprise,” said Alonso.“But he’s one of those talented players that come from the academy. [I’m] really impressed with him ... he has a great dynamism, he has quality, very complete player. He can pass short, he can dribble in the middle, so he has made a good impression so far.“He’s a talent that we need to help, we need to develop because he has special qualities that you don’t see that often from a 16-year-old guy.Xabi Alonso at Chelsea’s open training session at Allianz Stadium on Sunday - with Malick Nicoll-Jazuli, Mahdi’s younger brother, who is also part of Chelsea’s academy.Getty Images“I don’t know if he has an Australian passport, but it will be tough for him to choose in the future.”Players whose countries went deep into the World Cup were allowed to skip the Sydney Super Cup, with Chelsea’s squad missing the likes of new signing Morgan Rogers, his England teammate Reece James, and Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who played in the World Cup final.The Blues splashed the cash on Rogers, spending $223 million to lure the winger from Aston Villa - a record fee for an English player. He will link up with his new teammates after the Sydney Super Cup.“For sure it’s a great signing,” said Alonso, in his first public comments since the Rogers signing was confirmed.“In that position we needed an important player, and I’m sure that there were not many better options than Morgan, so we are delighted. It means a lot for everyone and for the players that are already here as well; they have a good feeling, and I’m looking forward to having him in a few weeks.“We want to build a competitive team; for sure we are in the process, we have great quality, great talent, and we need to know what it takes to compete in the Premier League. We are starting a new season with good energy; that’s going to be important.”From our partners