Michael Edwards has agreed to return to Liverpool in a key role after the Fenway Sports Group persuaded him to do so.
The former sporting director will take on a post that may be deemed head of football, however this will be verified soon. Richard Hughes, who will depart Bournemouth at the conclusion of the season, is the leading candidate to become sporting director.
Edwards and Hughes are known to have a close working connection and are now likely to collaborate at Liverpool. Edwards flew to Boston last week to meet with FSG CEO Michael Gordon and owner John W Henry. However, Edwards will not be returning to the club in his old role.
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The renowned Edwards is looking for a more senior job that will allow him more control over the club’s football operations. That is expected to result in him picking the next sporting director, a post he held from 2016 to 2022 with remarkable success.
Edwards has already declined an offer to be sporting director, but the club is still eager to have him return. He took over as manager in 2016 at the age of 37 and was instrumental in the club’s return to the top tiers of English and European football. FSG wants him to lead the club’s data-driven strategy again.
Edwards had been crucial to Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp. Edwards had been crucial to Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp. (Image: PA.)
Jorg Schmadtke was hired on a temporary basis last summer to replace Edwards’ replacement, Julian Ward. But he departed the club in January, and manager Jurgen Klopp will depart in the summer.
The anticipated arrival of Edwards and later Hughes will accelerate Liverpool’s search for Klopp’s replacement. Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is the apparent frontrunner, but Liverpool are apprehensive of approaching the Spaniard, who is chasing his current club’s first Bundesliga title. Liverpool also likes Ruben Amorim, manager of Sporting Lisbon, and Roberto de Zerbi, manager of Brighton.
