Chelsea name Emmanuel Eboue’s son in first Premier League squad weeks after estranged ex-Arsenal star’s heartbreaking interview

Chelsea named Mathis Eboue – son of ex-Arsenal defender Emmanuel – among the substitutes for Saturday’s Premier League match against Liverpool.

The 17-year-old forward took his place on the bench for the lunchtime clash at Anfield – live on talkSPORT – having been given the nod by Blues’ interim boss Calum McFarlane.

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Eboue, who joined Chelsea from Watford in January 2025 before penning a professional deal at the club in February, has gone on to impress for the Under-18s this season.

He has netted ten goals in 29 appearances while also featuring for Chelsea in the Under-19 UEFA Youth League and Under-21 PL2.

And it’s not just at club level where Eboue has been making waves.

The starlet broke into the England youth squad last year and opened his international account in the 2-1 win over Israel in September.

His first call-up to Chelsea’s senior squad – and first involvement in a Premier League squad – signals a huge source of pride for the Eboue family.

Family heartbreak

However, the news comes just weeks after former Gunners star Emmanuel revealed how he did not know his son was signing a professional contract with Chelsea.

The 42-year-old, who spent seven years at the Emirates Stadium, disclosed that he has not seen Mathis for “four, nearly five years” after divorcing his wife, Aurelie Bertrand, in 2017.

“I feel very sad because when he signed for Chelsea, I wasn’t there,” he told The 5th House Podcast two weeks ago.

“So his mum didn’t call me also, so I didn’t even know.

“Before I was talking with him. But now, since four, nearly five years, I didn’t even have any contact with him.

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“So these things, when I’m talking about, it’s paining me a lot because he’s my son.

“And then when I was with him, I teach him also how to play football. I have some video of me and him when we were playing.

“To be honest, I’m very happy for him. I didn’t even think that he will be there, but now I’m very very happy for him.

“But inside, in my body, I’m crying because I want to be closer to my son to help him.”

The ex-Arsenal and Galatasaray full-back admitted he was brought to tears watching his son represent England U17s.

He also spoke of his pain at not seeing his daughter for a long time.

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Asked what he would say to his son, if given the opportunity, he said: “I’m always praying to God for that time.

“I am always praying to God for that time, because as I told you before, I saw him playing with the England Under-17s.

“I watch him and when I saw him like this, even my new wife knows, I cry.

“I said: ‘Normally it is me. I have to be close to my son’.

“OK, I had a problem before with his mum, but the son, my kid, they don’t need to be involved with that.

“It is only the mum and me. But just now, I don’t want to say what I have to say to my son because I just want to see him.

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“It is my prayer. Every day I pray for my kids because my two girls, it is also a very long time since I saw them.

“I don’t want to go to England, because I don’t want to go to England and then I am not going to see them.

“I prefer to stay out, stay in my country, but I always pray for them. I pray, I say: ‘God, please, one day, I want to see my kids’.

“It is not only my son, but all of them, because I have big, big girls. I want to see them, because they miss me.

“Even, as I told you, I don’t have any recent pictures. The pictures that I have are old ones, where they are kids.

“Even when I ask for some new pictures from the mum, she refused to give it to me.”