Saudi Pro League clubs have been snapping up well-known footballers left, right and centre over the past few weeks, and now they’ve turned their attention to well-known directors
Former Nigeria and Enugu Rangers leftback and ex Chelsea and Monaco technical director Michael Emenalo is on the verge of landing a new job – one that would see him become one of football’s most powerful figures.
The Nigerian, who was technical director at Stamford Bridge for six years under Roman Abramovich, is in talks to become the Saudi Pro League’s (SPL) first ever director of football.
In the role, he’ll be responsible for developing frameworks within the SPL so the competition operates just like many of the biggest divisions in the world, including the Premier League and La Liga.
He’ll also be aiding in relationship building and reputation enhancement in order for the league to continue attracting some of the world’s best players, just as they’ve been doing since Al-Nassr’s capture of Cristiano Ronaldo in December last year.
Emenalo joined Chelsea in 2007, initially as part of manager Avram Grant’s coaching staff, before being moved upstairs after impressing owner Abramovich with his scouting knowledge.
As technical director, he became one of the club’s most influential figures and is credited with overseeing the scouting and transfers of several key players like Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Cesc Fabregas.
He also restructured the club’s scouting system, loan setup and women’s team, and is credited with transforming the club’s youth academy from an ineffective money-waster into the conveyor belt of talent it’s since become.
Emenalo left Chelsea in 2017 and was appointed sporting director at Ligue 1 club Monaco a few weeks later, though he lasted just over a year in the job before getting sacked. He was recently liked to the technical director role at Newcastle after they were taken over by a Saudi investment fund, but the job didn’t materialise.
The 57-year-old used to be a pro footballer and had a brief stint at Notts County in the 1994/95 season. He also had spells in Belgium, the US, Israel, Spain and Germany.
On the international stage Emenalo played 14 times for his country, including at the 1994 World Cup where Nigeria were knocked out in the round of 16 by Italy.
Before moving to the US in the 1980s to study at Boston University, Emenalo played Enugu Rangers.
A version of this report first appeared in the Daily Star.
