Chelsea’s academy guru Neil Bath is set to leave the club after deciding to depart of his own accord after 31 years, with confirmation expected later this week.

Bath initially joined the Blues in 1993, working his way up to a role which saw him revolutionise the Cobham production line under the previous ownership. 

That led to a long line of starlets breaking through to become professional footballers, including the current first-teamers Reece James, Conor Gallagher and Levi Colwill.

It is understood Bath informed Chelsea two months ago that he was considering his position. The club hoped to convince him to stay over the course of multiple conversations, but the boyhood Blues fan this week confirmed his intention to step away.

The respect between both Chelsea and Bath remains high and that is expected to be reflected in statements from each when confirmation comes. Indeed if Bath decided he wanted to stay tomorrow, the club would happily continue to work with him.

With his title changing to director of football development and operations in 2022, Bath's remit at Cobham increased and he became more involved in first-team matters over the last two seasons.

With Bath's exit spelling the end of an era, Chelsea are now working on getting a new project underway. 

Joe Shields, their co-director of recruitment and talent, is in line for an enhanced role at the club. Sam Jewell, the director of global recruitment, will also play a big part in the process.

The club have shown their strategy for targeting the planet's best young players, with Palmeiras' 17-year-old attacker Estevao Willian and Barcelona's 18-year-old striker Marc Guiu snapped up this summer. 

But Chelsea remain keen to make sure their academy is the envy of their rivals, feeling the incoming competition for spots in the first team can only add to the levels at Cobham.

It was in 2004 when Chelsea’s youth development programme was restructured to place a greater emphasis on the recruitment and development of local youngsters in London and the South East. 

Bath was heavily involved in the club winning the FA Youth Cup in 2010, their first success in the tournament since 1961. 

They went on to win it again in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Only once before had a club won the competition five times in a row and that was the Manchester United Busby Babes side of the 1950s.