Chelsea appoint Seyi Olofinjana to talent management role for Africa

English Premier League side Chelsea have appointed former Nigeria international Seyi Olofinjana to a talent management role focusing on Africa.

Olofinjana, who had  56 caps for  Super Eagle, will promote and support emerging talent across the continent. He will also play a key role in recruitment recommendations and collaborate closely with a newly appointed scout dedicated to African talent.

The 44-year-old has a rich playing history, including 147 matches and 18 goals for Wolverhampton Wanderers between 2004 and 2008, as well as stints at Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday. He also played in the Premier League with Stoke City and Hull City.

According to The Athletic, Olofinjana’s role will involve providing recruitment recommendations across Africa, working alongside the new scout, and assisting new signings to improve their experience, aiding their settling-in process and adaptation. This hybrid role blends management, recruiting, and mentoring.

After retiring in 2014, Olofinjana transitioned into coaching with Wolverhampton Wanderers, filling roles in their academy and loan departments for several years. His most recent position was as sporting director for one season, 2021/22, at Grasshoppers Zürich in the Swiss Super League. He is also an executive director at Imperial FC in Lagos, Nigeria, where he has been credited with discovering talents like Taiwo Awoniyi.

The 44-year-old is also the executive director of Imperial FC in Nigeria’s third division and has overseen the development and procurement of football talents in Nigeria, including Awoniyi, who joined Liverpool in 2015 and now plays for Nottingham Forest. His appointment is expected to open doors for many Nigerian and other African players, similar to Chelsea’s pursuit of Hafiz Ibrahim.

Olofinjana’s new role underscores Chelsea’s commitment to fostering and developing young African talent, aiming to unearth the next generation of football stars from the continent.