Beijing Time (CET) 8 October — According to The Times, Chelsea has narrowed its list of director candidates from five to three, with Stuart set to depart.

Over the past four years, Chelsea's men's football team building efforts have been closely tied to Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. These two sports directors have been key figures in BlueCo's football operations, though not always visible to the public. As squad architects, they oversaw first-team player acquisitions worth over £1.5 billion, recruiting only players under 25 years old. However, the team qualified for the Champions League only once during this period.

They rarely appeared publicly, with their names occasionally mentioned in management appointment press releases, but they were not unknown. Last November, Dave Fallows, formerly of Liverpool, joined Chelsea, expanding the club's sports management team. However, external observers consistently highlighted Winstanley and Stewart as the core decision-makers, with their influence evident in fan criticism. The pair first met 20 years ago as young analysts at Hull City and Wigan Athletic. Early in their Chelsea careers, they were consistently described as highly aligned, a fact emphasised by their shared office at the Cobham training ground in Surrey.

Therefore, the breakdown of this partnership carries symbolic weight, though it does not represent a complete break from the past. Stewart has agreed to leave Chelsea. The club has chosen not to seek a direct replacement, instead opting to form a leaner football management team, with Sam Jewell and Shields promoted to positions equal with Winstanley.

This marks another significant change at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks, coinciding with reports that the club is "adjusting" its operational model toward a different development path — a direction first outlined by Behrooz Egbali at a business conference in Los Angeles in April. Xavi Alonso's role has been defined as "manager" rather than "head coach," and the club's transfer strategy has been adjusted, now again targeting players over 25 years old. This followed a change in club ownership: Chairman Boehly and his long-time partner Mark Walter have sold their stakes in the club to Clearlake Capital, controlled by Egbali.

Stewart's departure is unrelated to board-level personnel changes and was anticipated internally — despite the fact that, like four other departing sports directors, his contract, signed last year after Chelsea won the Club World Cup, still had five years remaining.

The 40-year-old's responsibilities — overseeing data utilisation, coordinating budget planning, and liaising with medical staff — have gradually been assumed by others. Chelsea has increased its investment in data applications and continues to integrate data into player recruitment, areas where Shields and Jewell now shoulder greater responsibility.

Shields, previously responsible for the academy and player development pathway, has seen his scope expand closer to technical director; Jewell, whose original title was "Global Recruitment Sports Director," has worked closely with Strasbourg under BlueCo's multi-club structure. The two now jointly lead talent identification, player recruitment, and squad building, while maintaining close collaboration with Alonso, Egbali, and Winstanley. The responsibilities of these three include transfer negotiations, player contract signings, and overall management of the medical team, performance, player affairs, and club operational support.

The streamlining of the sports director team from five to three members, with Shields and Jewell's elevated status, reflects Chelsea's operational philosophy since summer and earlier. Chief scout Fallows, formerly of Liverpool, Manchester City, and Newcastle United, will continue supporting the leadership team, but his role will shift to a more flexible advisory capacity, while the other three will handle day-to-day affairs, oversee specific areas, and collaborate with the head coach and club ownership.

Chelsea's football management structure has been streamlined, a situation further simplified by Boehly's departure — he and Clearlake remain partners, which also resolves external uncertainty about BlueCo's future. This series of changes adds another chapter to the broader transformation following last season's poor performance. Chelsea finished tenth last season, and though Enzo Maresca's withdrawal surprised them, the club still faced scrutiny over Liam Rosenior's appointment and his subsequent failure after just 104 days in charge.

Following Rosenior's departure, the club announced it would enter a period of "self-reflection." While these personnel changes are not a direct result of that reflection — sources indicate Stewart's departure was amicable, and he was well-regarded at the training ground — the core reason for his departure ultimately lies in an adjustment to his job responsibilities. He initially joined as "Technical Director with a focus on Global Football," then became joint sports director with Winstanley in February 2023, following technical director Christopher Vivell's departure after just seven months. Now, the club is heading in a completely new direction.

Chelsea sources describe this change as a "gradual adjustment" rather than a complete overhaul, but regardless of the wording, fans are likely to view this as a positive sign.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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