Inside Chelsea's recruitment strategy under Todd Boehly

Inside Chelsea’s recruitment strategy: Lots has changed since Todd Boehly’s arrival last year with several moving parts, but every target MUST get the green light from Mauricio Pochettino

• Chelsea have made lots of behind-the-scenes changes since Todd Boehly joined
• Pochettino gives the green light for pursuits – and here’s the rest of the team 
• WATCH: ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ – Episode 1 – Mail Sport’s brand new football show

Chelsea have come a long way since the first transfer window of the Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital era and not just on the pitch.

Their playing squad has been transformed in the last 15 months and so too has the team at the top of the club charged with overseeing their transfer business.

Following the arrival of new owners which coincided with the departures of a string of respected personnel responsible for Chelsea’s running, Boehly added interim sporting director to his list of titles.

Last summer’s window would have been an eye-opening introduction to football’s workings for the American billionaire.

It was a busy one too with multiple ins and outs.

Chelsea’s playing squad has been transformed under co-owner Todd Boehly in 15 months

Manager Mauricio Pochettino must give the green light before a player is pursued by the club

A year on things have been no different but chairman Boehly has stepped back for starters, handing over responsibility for the club’s recruitment work. 

On one level of the responsibility sits new head coach Mauricio Pochettino and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, who are the front of Chelsea’s football off-pitch operation.

The process to pursue any player does not begin without Pochettino’s green light.

Stewart is key, with his duties including working with Pochettino and various departments involved in recruitment across the club on a day-to-day basis in order to help build and plan Chelsea’s squad.

Winstanley has emerged as the lead figure when it comes to negotiating at Chelsea, overseeing some arrivals from start to finish.

As Chelsea built out their hierarchy following their takeover, Winstanley was one of the first to get to work after being officially being appointed as director of global talent and transfers in November.

And while Christopher Vivell, appointed as a technical director in December after leaving RB Leipzig, was described by multiple sources as being less keen to steer the ship – with differing reasons cited as to why – Winstanley is said to have had no such concerns.

Paul Winstanley has emerged as a leading figure in negotiations after joining from Brighton 

Laurence Stewart, formerly of Monaco, works with different departments on a daily basis 

Vivell ended up with no clear responsibilities and quickly got put on gardening leave while Winstanley has grown in influence, becoming a go-to figure with the authority to make decisive calls in certain situations.

He was able to make a positive impression on Chelsea’s owners, being in position to oversee January’s eight-player spree which included deals such as Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk getting done against the odds, and at the start of February saw his title changed to co-sporting director alongside Stewart.

Stewart had initially had his appointment as ‘technical director to focus on football globally’ announced in October ahead of a February start.

Sources who work regularly with Chelsea describe how Winstanley has proven his willingness to get stuck in and get things done.

That would no doubt have been noted by Chelsea’s owners and been something needed this summer when the club needed to carry out a major clear-out as much as bring players in.

Christopher Vivell was placed on gardening leave and had no clear responsibilities in his role

Co-owner Behdad Eghbali (left) has become influential in both signings and departures

Co-owner Behdad Eghbali has been on hand in the negotiations for incoming signings when needed while becoming increasingly prominent in Chelsea’s departures. His involvement towards the end of incoming deals has varied.

It could be a FaceTime call with an incoming signing or taking a much more hands-on role if a deal is not going the way Chelsea want – as was the case when Moises Caicedo’s move seemed in danger – with Eghbali having the authority to sanction all manner of decisions quicker than others including increased offers.

Talent identification is where co-director of recruitment Joe Shields, who also started in February, excels, particularly when it comes to spotting emerging prospects and identifying how to help them fulfil their potential.

Given the lower age profile of the squad that Chelsea’s owners are trying to build, the well-connected Shields’ area of expertise is very much aligned with the aims of those above him.

Andrew Cousins has joined from Stoke in a head of scouting role, having previously been a colleague of Shields’ at Manchester City, and further strengthening Chelsea’s team of talent spotters.

Joe Shields joined from Southampton and excels in spotting and developing emerging talents 

The suggesting, watching and targeting of names is a combined effort but links can be easily identified in some cases, pointing to who have may have played more of a role in a specific deal.

Chelsea have done lots of business with Winstanley’s former club Brighton.

They have signed two defenders from Stewart’s former club Monaco in Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi.

Chelsea won the race for Romeo Lavia, who followed Shields to Southampton, the pair having also been together at Manchester City.

However, there are also times where their combined connections are required to make a deal happen, such as the one to land Ecuadorian starlet Kendry Paez from Independiente del Valle amid stiff competition from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Just like on the pitch, things are still taking shape behind the scenes at Chelsea and there is a feeling held by some internally that they are still waiting for everything to settle down.

But this latest hectic window has provided all involved with plenty of opportunity to find and refine their roles.

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