Chelsea 'make offer for Brighton's head of recruitment and son of ex-PL manager'

Chelsea have reportedly made an offer to Brighton for their head of recruitment Sam Jewell - just 16 months after poaching his predecessor Paul Winstanley.

Back in November 2022, the Blues swooped in and appointed Winstanley as their Director of Global Talent and Transfers, after an eight year spell in Sussex.

However, now, the west London giants are keen on bringing Jewell - son of former Premier League manager Paul Jewell - to Stamford Bridge.

According to The Telegraph, the Blues have offered Jewell a global scouting role in charge of negotiations for both the London club and Strasbourg in Ligue 1.

The outlet further claim that Chelsea's desire to get a deal over the line stems from concerns that Dan Ashworth may take Jewell with him to Manchester United.

Ashworth - who is currently the sporting director at Newcastle - is expected to reach an agreement next week to take up the same role at Old Trafford, following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's arrival.

According to ESPN, Ashworth will be given the responsibility of rebuilding United's scouting department, with Jewell identified as the leading candidate to head up the new structure, hence why the Blues are keen to act swiftly in their negotiations.

It's reported that no final decision has been made by Jewell yet, who is also open to staying at Brighton.

Jewell joined the Seagulls in 2016 after taking on the rule as the club's Under-21s recruitment head.

The 34-year-old then moved up to emerging talent scouting manager in 2018 and has been head of recruitment for 14 months, since Winstanley's departure.

Winstanley became the sixth staff member to follow Graham Potter from Brighton to Stamford Bridge after Potter was appointed Blues boss back in 2022.

After Potter's arrival, Chelsea brought in first-team coaches Billy Reid, Bjorn Hamberg and Bruno Saltor, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and recruitment analyst Kyle Macaulay from Brighton - which made Winstanley the sixth to make the move.

Currently, only Roberts remains at the club after Potter and the rest of his backroom staff were dismissed from their roles back in April 2023.

Speaking to Brighton's club website last summer, Jewell reflected on Winstanley's departure and praised the forward planning at the seaside club.

'Departures are part and parcel of football,' Jewell said in June last year, 'and while it was sad to see two really good people leave us, it has opened doors to others, including me.

'Following Paul's departure, I took on the head of recruitment role on an interim basis and it was very much business as usual.'