{
  "id": 12599468,
  "title": "Chelsea sporting director Laurence Stewart to leave club",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/chelsea-sporting-director-laurence-stewart-to-leave-club",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-07T09:45:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/chelsea-sporting-director-laurence-stewart-to-leave-club/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chelsea’s co-sporting director, Laurence Stewart, is departing the club by mutual agreement as part of an ongoing evolution of the football leadership team. Stewart joined Chelsea in 2022 as a technical director and was subsequently made co-sporting director alongside Paul Winstanley. Paul Winstanley will now work closely with Sam Jewell and Joe Shields, who will handle day-to-day football leadership responsibilities. Dave Fallows remains a part of the football leadership team but now takes an advisory role. The day-to-day football leadership team will consist of Winstanley, Jewell, and Shields, who will collaborate with manager Xabi Alonso and the club’s data and analytics department. There are no plans to replace Stewart, as it is seen as a natural progression in the club's leadership structure. Sources confirm that there have been no disagreements between Stewart and the club, with goodwill and respect remaining on both sides. The decision to streamline the football leadership team aligns with the club's desire to boost the roles of Jewell and Shields, with a focus on recruitment, player identification, and squad building. Jewell also oversees Chelsea's multi-club model, while Shields is responsible for the academy and player pathways. Stewart's departure marks the first significant change in Chelsea's football structure since Clearlake Capital took full control in 2021. Stewart, who joined Chelsea from Monaco almost four years ago, was primarily involved in budget planning, the club's style of play, and football philosophy. He is well-regarded both inside and outside the club. The three-man day-to-day team of Winstanley, Jewell, and Shields will now have closer collaboration with Chelsea's data team, with the rest of Stewart's responsibilities being integrated into the existing structure.",
  "summary": "Laurence Stewart, Chelsea’s co-sporting director, is leaving the club by mutual consent as part of what insiders describe as a natural evolution of the football leadership team. Stewart agreed to join Chelsea in 2022 initially as a technical director and was made co-sporting director alongside Paul Winstanley, who will now work on a day-to-day basis […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}