After Jurgen Klopp’s decision to step down as Liverpool manager was made public in January, Fenway Sports Group was determined to bring one player back to the club.
On Tuesday, FSG announced that Michael Edwards would join the firm as CEO of Football, with the 44-year-old taking over day-to-day football operations at Anfield. While not immediately returning to the Reds, he has returned to a key role at the club after leaving as sporting director in the summer of 2022.
President Mike Gordon is returning to a more traditional ownership role within the group, having previously managed day-to-day management at Anfield, with Edwards taking over his responsibilities as a result.
He had turned down an initial offer from FSG after Klopp’s decision was made public, and he had previously turned down offers from Chelsea and Manchester United to return to football as head of operations. However, a second presentation from the Reds’ American owners during face-to-face negotiations in Boston pushed Edwards to reconsider.
“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 expressed his joy that FSG’s pursuit had ultimately proven successful.
“John, Tom, and I are thrilled to have secured Michael’s services for our business. He is a formidable executive talent in world football.”
“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.”
FSG clearly wanted to employ a top executive and were looking for some continuity ahead of Klopp’s departure, which prompted them to re-sign Edwards.
In his new post, he will help fill the massive gap left in Liverpool’s leadership by Klopp’s impending departure. While FSG may have gotten their Edwards through the door, there is still a lot to do on their Reds’ to-do list.
Hire a sports director.
Edwards’ first responsibility in his new role will be to appoint Liverpool’s next sporting director.
Gordon had been in charge of the search since Jorg Schmadtke’s brief tenure ended at the end of January, but Edwards will now take the lead.
Richard Hughes is anticipated to take up the role after it was revealed that he will leave his position as first-team technical director at AFC Bournemouth at the end of this season. The former Scotland international is pals with Edwards from their time at Portsmouth, where he played and the 44-year-old worked as a junior data analyst.
Meanwhile, the pair managed a slew of transactions between the two clubs during Edwards’ first term as Liverpool’s sporting director, including the signings of Jordon Ibe, Brad Smith, Dominic Solanke, Nathaniel Clyne, Harry Wilson, and Nat Phillips.
Hire a new first-team manager.
Once a new sporting director has been decided upon, the Reds will begin their search for a new manager to succeed Klopp. If he doesn’t fancy one more opportunity at showdown talks to persuade the departing boss to stay put, his mind appears to be set.
Hughes, the new sporting director, will be in charge of selecting and recruiting the German’s successor.
Former Liverpool player Xabi Alonso is the favourite for the role, following his spectacular metamorphosis at Bayer Leverkusen. However, the Spaniard is not the only serious candidate being considered, with Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim and Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann also apparently in the running.
Hughes already has a solid working relationship with Alonso’s representatives, Inaki Ibanez of IDUB Global, since employing Andoni Iraola, another of their clients, as Bournemouth manager last summer.
Hire new backroom personnel.
Of course, Klopp is not the only one who will need to be replaced at Liverpool; the majority of his backroom staff has also been confirmed to go at the conclusion of the season.
Assistant managers Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, as well as elite development coach Vitor Matos, will leave their roles at the end of the season and must be replaced.
Finalizes transfer plans.
Liverpool’s transfer ambitions have not been put on hold despite the fact that the club has been without a sports director since early February. Instead, their summer preparations have been overseen by head of recruitment Dave Fallows and lead scout Barry Hunter.
The two have been members of the Reds’ recruitment squad for a long time, having previously worked with Edwards when he was the club’s sporting director.
Liverpool may not need to go through the busiest of summer transfer windows before any potential departures. Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah have emerged from the club’s youth, reducing the need for a new right-back and center-back, respectively.
However, with Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara out of contract in the summer and anticipated to leave, the squad’s gaps may need to be filled. While Wataru Endo and Alexis MacAllister have performed well as holding midfielders, it remains to be seen whether the team will pursue another deeper option.
Meanwhile, Liverpool may be in the market for a new goalkeeper, with Adrian also out of contract, and uncertainty about Caoimhin Kelleher’s long-term future at Anfield persists after his outstanding run as first-choice in the absence of the injured Alisson Becker.
It would also be unsurprising if Saudi Arabia renewed its interest in Mohamed Salah, after Al-Ittihad’s £150 million deal was rebuffed last summer. Meanwhile, speculation about Luis Diaz’s future remains.
Negotiate new player contracts.
While it would be unsurprising if Matip, Thiago, and Adrian all left at the conclusion of their contracts in the summer, Liverpool’s players’ futures are less obvious, with contracts expiring in 2025.
Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were able to enter the last 18 months of their contracts, which aroused eyebrows, but after Klopp and Schmadtke’s departures were confirmed, the rationale became evident.
By the summer, the trio will be entering the final year of their contracts, and contract negotiations will undoubtedly be a top concern.
While Salah and Van Dijk are approaching the age of 30 and face uncertain long-term futures, Alexander-Arnold remains only 25. Liverpool will undoubtedly try to offer their vice-captain a better contract, since the England international is an important part of their bright new future.
Talks should also be undertaken with Salah and Van Dijk’s representation, as the two are still among the first names on Liverpool’s squad sheet. At 31 and 32, respectively, there is still room for another extension if they choose to stay put and be part of the incoming manager’s plans.
Identify the new sister club.
Of course, Edwards’ new post entails more than merely monitoring the operations of Liverpool. As FSG’s Football CEO, he will also oversee operations at the Reds’ potential sister club, as their owners want to broaden their sporting portfolio.
Edwards will first assist FSG in identifying a potential second club, before subsequently managing its operations. Such a scenario is fascinating for Liverpool’s owners, who are undoubtedly inspired by the City Football Group’s multi-club ownership, which complements flagship Manchester City.
As a result, while Edwards’ return to FSG is the first step toward life after Klopp at Liverpool, it will not be the last, as the Reds anticipate an exciting future with their former sporting director in charge of their football operations.
