Chelsea Appoint Seyi Olofinjana to Talent Management Role Covering Africa.
Chelsea have appointed Seyi Olofinjana to a talent management role focused on Africa, according to The Athletic.
Olofinjana, 44, will oversee recruitment recommendations across the region, working alongside a newly-appointed scout dedicated to covering Africa. In addition to his new role at Chelsea, Olofinjana is the executive director of Imperial FC in Nigeria’s third division.
Olofinjana has been instrumental in the development and procurement of football talents in Nigeria, including Taiwo Awoniyi, who joined Liverpool in 2015 and is now at Nottingham Forest.
Over the past two decades, many African players, such as Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, and Mikel John Obi, have achieved significant success at Chelsea. However, these players were mostly recruited from other clubs after transitioning to Europe.
The establishment of a dedicated operation in Africa reflects Chelsea’s ambition to identify and develop talent earlier in their careers.