Mark Clattenburg is to quit his job as a Premier League referee for a position in Saudi Arabia.
Clattenburg is widely considered to be one of the best referees in world football, having recently taken charge of the Euro 2016 final, Champions League final and the FA Cup final last season.
Back in December, amid speculation around a number of players moving from the Premier League to the Chinese Super League, he said that he would be open to officiating in China. This latest development perhaps shouldn't come as much of a shock, then.
Since Howard Webb stopped officiating in 2014 though, the 44 year-old Clattenburg has become the elite referee in the Premier League and appears to be in the prime of his career. That was emphasised by him being warded best referee in the world for 2016 at the Globe Soccer Awards last year.
This move seems like something of a career change, then, with his role in Saudi Arabia understood to be more of a development one, as opposed to refereeing matches himself.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited had this to say about their highest-rated official:
"The PGMOL would like to wish Mark Clattenburg well as he prepares for his move to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation," the statement said."
Clattenburg is expected to leave his role with the Premier League before the next round of fixtures, which starts on 25 February.
