New Chelsea transfer expert Paul Winstanley issues statement as Brighton compensation agreed

Winstanley had been placed on gardening leave at Brighton while talks were ongoing, but today an agreement was reached between the two clubs.

Winstanley will team up with Graham Potter and his management team once again, who also left for the riches of Chelsea earlier in the season.

"I’m thrilled to be joining Chelsea and to continue working with Graham Potter and his team,” said Winstanley via the Chelsea website. “There is a real sense of excitement and momentum around the new ownership and this project. I’m looking forward to working with such an outstanding group of colleagues as the club moves into a new era.”

On the Brighton and Hove Albion website, he added: "It has been the most memorable, successful and enjoyable period of my career. I would like to thank everyone at Brighton, but most importantly Tony Bloom and Paul Barber for the opportunity they gave me along with their unbelievable support.

"I've also worked with some amazing people. I want to thank everyone at the club and not least the managers from Sami, Chris, Graham and Roberto. I’ve also been proud to lead our recruitment team; and work with two first-class technical directors in Dan (Ashworth) and David (Weir).

"It's not been an easy decision and it has taken me some time, but the opportunity was too great to turn down and is a personal challenge I want to take up. While I had no desire to leave Brighton, as the club has been amazing to me, this was something I had to pursue."I’m incredibly proud to have played my part at Brighton & Hove Albion over the past eight years. I wish everyone connected to the club well for the future. “The club is incredibly well run, with brilliant people everywhere, and is something quite special and I have no doubt it has a great future ahead with Roberto at the helm."

Winstanley joined Albion in 2014 from Derby County, and played a key role in the club's on-pitch successes of the past eight years, as he oversaw all elements of recruitment, initially under David Burke, before working closely with Ashworth (now at Newcastle) and Weir more recently.

Albion deputy chairman and chief executive Paul Barber added, "We wish Paul well and thank him for all he has done during his time at the club. In line with our club’s policy of being prepared with immediate high quality cover in the event we lose key staff, Sam Jewell will step up as acting head of recruitment, supported by our technical director David Weir."We have an excellent recruitment team and infrastructure in place, who will also give Sam all the support and expertise he needs. So, while we are disappointed to lose Paul, we know we can absorb this change, as we move forward into the January transfer window."

Weir added: "Paul has been an important part of our recruitment and overall progress in his time at the club, and naturally we did not want to see him leave."However, we understand that he sees this as an exciting opportunity to move into a more senior position and a different challenge at a new club."