Strasbourg president Marc Keller has come out swinging after furious supporters turned on him and club captain Emanuel Emegha in the wake of the striker’s confirmed transfer to Chelsea. The fallout reached boiling point when fan groups unfurled hostile banners aimed at both men, sparking a fiery response from Keller during an emergency press conference on Thursday.
Chelsea transfer fuels fan fury
The anger stems from the growing influence of Chelsea owners BlueCo, who purchased Strasbourg back in 2023. Since then, a section of the fanbase has voiced loud opposition, repeatedly accusing the hierarchy of turning their club into a satellite project for Stamford Bridge. The official announcement of Emegha’s seven-year Chelsea deal, set to begin in 2026, poured petrol on the fire. Although the Dutch striker will remain in France for one more campaign, ultras singled him out alongside Keller, labelling both as “traitors” to the cause.
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The Emegha saga is only the latest chapter in a running battle. Fans were already incensed when Ishé Samuels-Smith returned to Chelsea just 34 days after signing for Strasbourg, reportedly for ten times his value. Then came the controversial move of youngster Mamadou Sarr, who joined Chelsea on trial during the Club World Cup. For the die-hards, each case has been a stark reminder of what they see as BlueCo’s overreach. And for many, the Emegha deal was simply the final straw.
Keller assures fans
Keller insists the deal with Chelsea was the best possible outcome for everyone. He claims Emegha had major interest from top European clubs and stresses that Strasbourg would have struggled to hold on to him without BlueCo’s backing.
“We were able to bring him (Emegha) in thanks to BlueCo two years ago; many big clubs approached us this summer," he said. "Our priority is to keep our striker and leader. We found the best balance with this agreement, which allows us to keep the player, then let him leave for Chelsea in a year.”
He added, "Something happened that I couldn’t have imagined. I saw a minority of people in the West Stand attacking the institution, the project, and our captain. It’s unacceptable; these are not our values. Attacking our captain is not right. The fans support us. We used to communicate a lot, including in the National League. But that’s changed over the past two years; it’s sad. And what happened on Sunday no longer respects our club’s rules; we don’t accept it."
Getty Images SportEmegha's promise to Strasbourg
Despite the storm, Emegha himself has vowed to keep his focus firmly on the job at hand. The 22-year-old, named captain this season after his breakout campaign, has already scored three goals in Ligue 1 this term and insists he won’t be distracted by talk of Stamford Bridge. He will be back in action against Paris FC on Sunday.
