Laurence Stewart is set to leave Chelsea by mutual consent after almost four years at Stamford Bridge, with the club opting to redistribute his responsibilities rather than appoint a direct replacement.
The departure is understood to be amicable and won’t take immediate effect. Stewart could continue attending matches before formally leaving, following discussions with co-owner Behdad Eghbali over the club’s evolving sporting structure.
The story was first reported by Matt Law of The Telegraph and Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport, with Ben Jacobs subsequently providing further details about how Chelsea intend to operate.
Winstanley, Jewell and Shields take on expanded roles
Stewart arrived from Monaco in October 2022 as technical director before becoming co-sporting director alongside Paul Winstanley in February 2023.
Chelsea’s day-to-day sporting leadership will now be shared between Winstanley, Sam Jewell and Joe Shields, each with defined responsibilities.
Winstanley will continue overseeing transfer negotiations, player contracts and several departments at Cobham, including medical and performance operations. Shields’ work centres on the academy and player pathways, while Jewell has wider responsibilities across the BlueCo operation, including Strasbourg.
According to Jacobs, discussions about restructuring began in April and accelerated following the appointment of Xabi Alonso as head coach.
Stewart had overseen investment in Chelsea’s data analysis operation, although Jewell and Shields have increasingly taken responsibility for using that information in recruitment and talent identification.
Dave Fallows will remain involved in an advisory capacity, rather than taking on a fixed day-to-day portfolio.
The changes are being described as a natural evolution of Chelsea’s sporting model. There is no suggestion that Stewart’s departure followed a breakdown in relations, and the club are not currently planning to recruit a replacement.
