English Premier League, Chelsea has appointed former Nigeria international Seyi Olofinjana to a talent management role focusing on Africa.
The 44-year-old Olofinjana, who was capped 56 times by Nigeria, played 147 matches and scored 18 goals for Wolverhampton Wanderers between 2004 and 2008. He also had spells at Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship, as well as stints in the Premier League with Stoke City and Hull City.
After retiring in 2014 following a short stint in Norway, Olofinjana worked in under-23 coaching and development at Wolves, including a role as loans and pathways manager. He then spent a year as Sporting Director at Grasshoppers Zurich in Switzerland until 2022. The former midfielder holds a UEFA Pro coaching license.
In his new role at Chelsea, Olofinjana will be responsible for recruitment recommendations across Africa, working in conjunction with a newly appointed scout covering the region. He began his career in Nigeria with Crown FC and Kwara United before moving to Norwegian club, SK Brann in 2003 and then to Wolves a year later.
Olofinjana’s experience and expertise will help build on Chelsea’s connections in Africa and streamline the pathway for players to the London club and its sister operation, Strasbourg, in France. He will also assist players in settling in and adapting to their new environments.
Olofinjana, who holds degrees in chemical engineering and sports directorship, is also the executive director of the Nigerian third division side, Imperial FC, located near his home city of Lagos. There, he has overseen the development of an academy set up and the procurement of talent, including Taiwo Awoniyi, who was transferred to Liverpool in 2015 and now plays for Nottingham Forest.
Over the past two decades, many African players, including Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, and John Mikel Obi, have found great success at Chelsea, though they were often recruited from other clubs after transitioning to Europe. This new dedicated operation aims to identify and develop talent earlier in their careers.
