- Emenalo worked at Chelsea for six years
- Signed players like Eden Hazard, Mohamed Salah
- Set to become Saudi Pro League's sporting director
WHAT HAPPENED? According to Mirror, the former Chelsea transfer chief has an agreement in principle to become the Saudi Pro League's director of football with the aim to enhance organisation, strategy, and talent development. He was extremely successful during his stint at Stamford Bridge and played a key role in bringing notable players such as Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, and N'Golo Kante to Chelsea.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The appointment of Emenalo reflects the Saudi Pro League's ambitious plans to elevate the competition to new heights. The league wants to centralise its recruitment so that they can continue to bring in the big names of European football after signing top stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema & Kante this summer.
AND WHAT'S MORE: Emenalo will also work closely to develop local Saudi Arabian talent and has been given the freedom to bring with him his hand-picked backroom staff. He has worked extensively to develop Chelsea's academy which has produced gems like Mason Mount and Reece James during his tenure. He is even credited for revamping the entire Chelsea scouting procedure and the women's team set-up.
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WHAT NEXT? Emenalo's recruitment further bolsters Saudi Arabia's plans to attract the top names in Europe. His recruitment will pave the way to identifying potential talents when they are young which would further enhance the quality of the league.
