Seyi Olofinjana joins Chelsea in new capacity

Chelsea has appointed former Super Eagles midfielder, Seyi Olofinjana to a strategic role, tasked with uncovering and cultivating talented African footballers.

As part of his role, Seyi Olofinjana will provide expert recommendations on player recruitment in Africa, partnering with a newly appointed scout who will cover the region.

Seyi Olofinjana, aged 44, holds the position of executive director at Imperial FC, a team competing in Nigeria’s third tier, in addition to his responsibilities at Chelsea.

Olofinjana oversaw 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 last two decades many African players including the likes of Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Mikel John Obi, have enjoyed huge success at Chelsea.

However, most of these players were acquired from other clubs, having already established themselves in European football.

By establishing a dedicated presence in the region, Chelsea aims to identify and secure top talent at an earlier stage in their development.

The Athletic