Chelsea co-sporting director Stewart to leave by mutual consent

📰 Chelsea co-sporting director Laurence Stewart is leaving the club by mutual consent after nearly four years. 📌 Key points 👋 Stewart will leave Chelsea by mutual consent. 🗓️ No departure date or fixed timeline has been set. 🤝 The exit is amicable and he is not leaving for another job. 🔄 Joe Shields and Sam Jewell will absorb much of his role. 🧩 The move is linked to a tweak of the club's recruitment model. 📝 What happened 👋 The BBC reported on 7 October that Chelsea co-sporting director Laurence Stewart will leave the club by mutual consent. The 40-year-old departs on excellent terms to pursue other opportunities. 🏢 Stewart joined Chelsea from Monaco nearly four years ago as one of the first senior football appointments of the BlueCo era. 🔄 There will be no direct replacement. Joe Shields and Sam Jewell will take on many of his duties, while Paul Winstanley continues to oversee medical, player support and internal operations. Dave Fallows remains in an advisory role. 🧩 According to the BBC, the exit is seen internally as linked to the 'tweak' of the recruitment model that co-owner Behdad Eghbali spoke about at the end of last season. Xabi Alonso has wanted heavy involvement in transfers, and Chelsea signed over-30s such as Jordan Henderson, Danny Welbeck and Emiliano Martinez this summer. 📊 By the numbers • Stewart's age: 40 • Time at Chelsea: nearly four years • Staff taking on his duties: two (Shields and Jewell) 🔭 Why it matters It is another sign that BlueCo's under-23-focused recruitment is changing under Alonso. The BBC says future changes will better integrate data analysis and add mid-level appointments. Chelsea return to league action against Bournemouth on 10 October.