Newcastle reportedly in talks to hire director of football that Antonio Conte raved about in 2018

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Newcastle are reportedly in talks to bring in Michael Emenalo as director of football – a man that earned huge praise from Antonio Conte in 2018.

Emenalo, 56, is the front runner to take over at Newcastle as their transfer chief before January. That is, despite Michael Edwards now leaving Anfield.

The Telegraph report that Newcastle’s Saudi owners have held talks with Emenalo. The ex-Chelsea, Monaco man has been spotted in Saudi Arabia.

He has been targeted as their first choice, despite previous targets including Manchester City’s Jason Wilcox, Edwards and Ajax’s Marc Overmars.

Emenalo worked as sporting director at Chelsea for six years between 2011 and 2017, before moving to Monaco. He remained there until 2019.

Since then, he has been out of work. In 2018, ex-Chelsea gaffer and now-Tottenham boss Conte raved about him in an interview with the Guardian.

“To lose Michael, it was a big loss,” Conte said in 2018, on Emenalo leaving Chelsea. “Michael did a great job for this club for many years.

“Last season he helped me a lot during the season. He helped me a lot. I remember very well he left just after the Manchester United game.”

Conte verdict on Emenalo has got to convince Newcastle to take action

Ian Wright was the first person to suggest Emenalo for Newcastle and following on from that – the Toon are said to be in talks to get the Nigerian.

He is responsible for some of Chelsea’s biggest signings, including Eden Hazard, and the development of the academy which is now reaping awards.

Emenalo would get Newcastle back on track. Well-connected in France and England, he would have no problem bringing in the right names in January.

He is also reportedly a big fan of Eddie Howe, and the two have met before. There is a chance, then, that both will work well together.