Saudi to appoint former Super Eagles defender, Emenalo as director of football

Former Super Eagles international, Michael Emenalo is set to be appointed as the first director of football for the Saudi Pro League (SPL), according to the Athletic.

Emenalo was a former Chelsea director who oversaw one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.

He managed the position for six years leaving his role in 2017 to join AS Monaco as sporting director, a position he held until 2019.

During his period at Chelsea, he was credited with the signing of stars such as Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Kelvin De Bruyne, and N’Golo Kante.

Emenalo is expected to bring his wealth of experience to the league and implement the principles and frameworks seen in the world’s biggest leagues.

The SPL is witnessing massive growth after Cristiano Ronaldo joined in January 2022. The league body has shown intent to splash cash not only on the pitch but also off the pitch.

The league currently boasts big-name players and managers, like Karim Benzema, Ngolo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Steven Gerrard, and others.