Mehrdad Ghodoussi says Michael Emenalo DID NOT turn down Newcastle job

Newcastle co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi DENIES report claiming former Chelsea and Monaco sporting director Michael Emenalo turned down the chance to become their new director of football

  • Mehrdad Ghodoussi said Michael Emenalo did not reject the club’s approach
  • The Telegraph had claimed Emenalo had discussed sporting director post
  • The Nigerian enjoyed a decade of success in a similar role at Chelsea  
  • Emenalo had a less successful stint at Monaco between 2017 and 2019

Newcastle co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi has denied claims Michael Emenalo turned down the chance to become the club’s sporting director, insisting the Nigerian was never offered the job.

The Telegraph had reported on Saturday that the former Chelsea and Monaco technical director had said no to Newcastle as the club could not meet his ambitious plans.  

Ghodoussi, who is married to Newcastle director Amanda Staveley, issued the denial in a post on Twitter on Sunday.

Newcastle have denied that Michael Emenalo rejected an offer to become sporting director 

Newcastle’s co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi denied a report in The Telegraph about the offer

He wrote: ‘Contrary to a newspaper report, Michael Emenalo was never offered the job of Sporting Director or Director of Football at Newcastle United. #NUFC #FactsMatter.’

According to the Telegraph report, Emenalo, 56, travelled to Saudi Arabia for talks and was understood to be the club’s top choice for the role, with director Jamie Reuben and Newcastle’s Saudi owners as well as coach Eddie Howe keen to appoint him.  

But after thorough negotiations with director Amanda Staveley, in which he outlined his short- and long-term ideas to improve the club, Emenalo reportedly felt the club’s current vision did not suit him. 

Ghodoussi with wife and director Amanda Stavely (right) plus coach Eddie Howe (centre)

Emenalo is a highly respected figure in football and helped Chelsea sign several top stars such as N’golo Kante (right)

Emenalo is a highly respected name despite a disappointing spell at Monaco, where he worked between 2017 and 2019, taking over shortly after the club had won the Ligue 1 title and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League with a team containing Kylian Mbappe, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho.

His time at the club coincided with a huge dip in results following the departure of their star players and they narrowly avoided relegation in May 2019.

But Emenalo enjoyed a decade of success at Chelsea, in which time they won three Premier Leagues, the FA and League Cups, plus the 2011/12 Champions League and 2012/13 Europa League. 

He helped the club sign the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard while revamping the club’s academy, which has recently produced first team regulars such as Reece James and Mason Mount and generated big-money sales from Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham. 




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