Chelsea’s head of women’s football Green leaves club

Paul Green has left his role as Chelsea’s head of women’s football after 13 years at the Women’s Super League club.

Green worked closely with former manager Emma Hayes, helping her deliver five successive WSL titles and reach a first Women’s Champions League final.

He acted as interim manager in Hayes’ absence in 2022 when she had emergency hysterectomy surgery, and has led recruitment across a number of successful transfer windows.

The club said Green “played a significant role in the development and growth of the women’s programme” and “contributed to the establishment of strong foundations and the evolution of Chelsea Women into one of the leading teams in the domestic and European game”.

Co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley have become increasingly involved with the decision-making on the women’s side, and have already taken steps to shape the future of the club.

Last week, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor signed a new contract keeping her at the club until 2030.

That came days after she voiced her frustration at their recruitment in the summer transfer window, highlighting injuries and a lack of squad depth as one of the reasons Chelsea have fallen nine points adrift of WSL leaders Manchester City.

Some fans had expressed concern over Bompastor’s tactics, despite the Frenchwoman leading Chelsea to an unbeaten domestic treble in her debut season in charge, but the timing of her contract extension was a strong statement from the club.

However, Green’s departure comes as a shock given he has been a stalwart of the club’s structure for more than a decade, and hugely successful in his position.