Chelsea decides to part ways with Laurence Stewart and restructure their sporting setup

Lawrence Stewart is set to leave Chelsea as co-sporting director by mutual consent following talks with Behdad Eghbali in recent weeks.

Stewart's departure will not be immediate, as he is expected to continue appearing for the club in some matches in the coming period before finalizing his exit.

Following his departure, Paul Winstanley, Sam Jewell, and Joe Shields will take on the roles of sporting directors at Chelsea equally. Shields will oversee the club's academy and player development pathways, while Jewell has broader responsibilities that include Strasbourg and the "Blue Co" group.

This change comes as part of a natural evolution in Chelsea's sporting structure, after discussions to reorganize the model began last April and accelerated following the arrival of Xabi Alonso to the team. Igbali stated in April: "We are adjusting the model, improving it, and learning from it."

Stewart had overseen the development of investment in data analysis, but this aspect has been used more by Jewell and Shields, given their expertise in scouting and identifying talent.

In contrast, Dave Fallows will continue his current duties, which focus more on advisory work and remote tasks compared to the rest of the sporting management at Chelsea.