After Jurgen Klopp’s decision to step down as Liverpool manager was made public in January, Fenway Sports Group were determined to bring one man back to the club.
FSG announced that Michael Edwards would be joining the group as CEO of Football on Tuesday, with his new role seeing the 44-year-old oversee the day-to-day running of football operations at Anfield. While not directly returning to the Reds, he is back in a senior role at Liverpool having stepped down as the club’s sporting director in the summer of 2022.
President Mike Gordon is returning to a more traditional ownership role within the group, having previously overseen day-to-day management at Anfield, with Edwards inheriting his responsibilities as a result.
He had rejected an initial offer from FSG following Klopp’s decision being made public, and had previously snubbed approaches from both Chelsea and Manchester United to return to football as head of operations. But a second pitch from the Reds’ American owners over face-to-face talks in Boston prompted Edwards to reconsider.
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“I was humbled by the desire and persistence they showed in wanting to work with me again,” he said in an FSG statement confirming his appointment. “This is definitely not something that I take for granted given their track record across sport and business.”
Meanwhile, Gordon would share his delight at FSG’s pursuit ultimately proving to be successful.
“Michael is one of the most formidable executive talents in world football and John, Tom, and I are absolutely thrilled to have secured his services for our business…
“On behalf of everyone at FSG I am delighted to welcome him back and also hugely excited to see one of the most sought-after executives back in our ranks.”
Evidently, FSG wanted to hire a leading executive and were hungry for some form of consistency ahead of Klopp’s departure, prompting them to re-hire Edwards.
In his new role, he will help fill the vast void created in Liverpool’s leadership by Klopp’s looming exit. But while FSG might now have their Edwards through the door, there is still plenty left that needs to be ticked off on their Reds’ to-do list.
Hire sporting director
Edwards’ first task in his new role will be to hire Liverpool’s next sporting director.
Gordon had been spearheading the search after Jorg Schmadtke’s short-term tenure came to an end at the end of January, but Edwards will now lead the search.
Richard Hughes is expected to be appointed in the role, after it was announced that he would step down as first team technical director at AFC Bournemouth at the end of the season. The former Scotland international is friends with Edwards from their time at Portsmouth together, when he was a player and the 44-year-old a junior data analyst.
Meanwhile, the pair oversaw a plethora of dealings between the two clubs during Edwards’ original stint as sporting director at Liverpool, as the Cherries signed Jordon Ibe, Brad Smith, Dominic Solanke, Nathaniel Clyne, Harry Wilson, and Nat Phillips.
Hire new first team manager
Once a new sporting director is agreed, attention will turn to the Reds’ search for a new manager to succeed Klopp. If he doesn’t fancy one final, final chance at showdown talks to convince the departing boss to stay put, that is, though his mind is seemingly not for changing.
The new sporting director, likely to be Hughes, will ultimately be responsible for identifying and recruiting the German’s successor.
Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is the favourite for the job, following his remarkable transformation of Bayer Leverkusen. But the Spaniard isn’t the only serious candidate under consideration, with Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim and Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann also reportedly in contention.
Hughes does already boast a good working relationship with Alonso’s representatives, Inaki Ibanez of IDUB Global, after hiring Andoni Iraola, who is another one of their clients, as Bournemouth manager last summer.
Hire new backroom staff
Of course, it’s not just Klopp who will need replacing at Liverpool, with the majority of his backroom staff also confirmed to be leaving at the end of the season.
Assistant managers Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, as well as elite development coach Vitor Matos, will also vacate their positions at the end of the season and need to be replaced.
Finalises transfer plans
While working without a sporting director since the start of February, Liverpool’s transfer plans have not been left on hold. Instead, their summer preparations have been led by head of recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter.
The pair are long-serving members of the Reds’ recruitment team, and previously worked alongside Edwards during his original stint at the club’s sporting director.
Admittedly, Liverpool might not need to undergo the busiest of summer transfer windows prior to any possible exits. The emergence of Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah from the club’s academy have lessened the need for a new right-back and centre-back for example.
However, with Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara out of contract in the summer and expected to move on, they could leave the voids in the squad that would need to be filled. While Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister have impressed as holding midfielders, it remains to be seen if the club would pursue another deeper option.
Meanwhile, Liverpool could find themselves in the market for a new goalkeeper with Adrian also out of contract, and speculation regarding Caoimhin Kelleher’s long-term future at Anfield persisting following his impressive stint as first-choice in the absence of the injured Alisson Becker.
It would also be no surprise if big-money interest from Saudi Arabia reared its head for Mohamed Salah once again, after Al-Ittihad saw an £150m bid rejected last summer. Elsewhere, Luis Diaz’s future also continues to be the subject of speculation.
Negotiate new player contracts
While it would be no surprise if Matip, Thiago, and Adrian did all leave at the end of their contracts in the summer, the future isn’t as clear-cut for Liverpool’s players with deals expiring in 2025.
Eyebrows had been raised at Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold being able to enter the final 18 months of their contracts, but once Klopp and Schmadtke’s exits were confirmed, the reasoning why became clear.
Come the summer, the trio will be entering the final year of their deals and holding contract negotiations will surely be a pressing priority.
While Salah and Van Dijk are on the wrong side of 30 and face uncertain long-term futures regardless, as a result, Alexander-Arnold is still only 25. Liverpool will surely look to offer their vice-captain an improved extension with the England international very much a vital part of their bright new future.
Talks should also be held with Salah and Van Dijk’s representatives with the pair still two of the first names on the Liverpool teamsheet. Aged 31 and 32 respectively, there is still scope for another extension at least, should they want to stay put and be a part of the new manager’s plans.
Identify new sister club
Of course, Edwards’ new role does not just involve overseeing the running of Liverpool. As FSG’s CEO of Football, he will also manage operations of the Reds’ would-be sister club as their owners look to expand their sporting portfolio.
Edwards will first help FSG to identify a possible second club, before later managing its operations. Such a prospect is an exciting one for Liverpool’s owners, no doubt inspired by the sight of the City Football Group flourishing with their multi-club ownership complimenting flagship Man City.
Consequently, while Edwards’ return to FSG is the first step of what life after Klopp will look like at Liverpool, it won’t be the last as the Reds look forward to an exciting future with their former sporting director now heading up their footballing operations.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
