If Liverpool is venturing into unfamiliar territory with their first external hiring of a permanent sporting director, the depth of Richard Hughes’ relationship with Michael Edwards, the man who headhunted him, should allay fears.
Hughes was formally designated the club’s fourth official sporting director on Wednesday, succeeding Edwards and Julian Ward, who were both internally recruited for the post, and Jorg Schmadtke, whose interim one-year contract was terminated at the end of January.
Supporters who respect such off-field jobs, and there have been an increasing number of them in recent years, thanks primarily to Edwards and Ward’s success, may be filled with both enthusiasm and concern about what lies ahead for their team.
With Edwards, the renowned former sporting director, already in place as Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football – a position that effectively establishes him as the top honcho at Liverpool FC going forward – Hughes’ appointment completes two of the three foundations of the brave new Anfield age. The next big job is to replace Jurgen Klopp.
There is no disputing that Hughes, who will officially begin the role on June 1 after leaving Bournemouth, is ‘Edwards’ man, but this is not necessarily a disadvantage given the astute judgement previously demonstrated by the University of Sheffield graduate at Liverpool.
Hughes and Edwards have a 20-year friendship, and FSG’s football CEO is said to have always wanted to work with the former Portsmouth captain.
The connection began while Edwards was Portsmouth’s senior analyst and Hughes was the club’s captain. According to those familiar with the connection, Edwards was struck by Hughes’ passion and enthusiasm for football, not just in terms of his personal performances, but on a larger scale.
In his capacity, Edwards was tasked with preparing clips of not only Hughes’ own game, but also Premier League opponents, Football League sides, and clubs from throughout the continent. The Glasgow native, who grew up in Bergamo and played for Atalanta’s youth teams, is a big fan of Italian football, which may be interesting as a prospective transfer target this summer.
Those who have praised Hughes have spoken of his ability to identify players such as Joe Gomez and Harvey Elliott while they were at Charlton and Fulham, respectively, and he was also credited with attempting to bring Virgil van Dijk from his beloved Celtic to Bournemouth before they were beaten by Southampton.
Andy Robertson was another player who was reportedly desired by the Cherries before moving to Anfield from Hull City, while Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah were also regarded as potential game changers during their time at Roma.
Cynics may argue that identifying players who have since gone on to become important and, in some cases, legendary names for Liverpool does not necessarily distinguish you as a world-class talent-spotter, but it does demonstrate that Hughes kept his ear to the ground during his time at Bournemouth, even if clubs with larger budgets and standing in the game as a whole were always more likely to win those specific races.
It also demonstrates Hughes’ ambition in terms of transfer targets, which will please supporters.
However, even if Edwards is not sitting across the bargaining table on Liverpool’s behalf this summer, the club will still benefit from his huge connections book from all around European football, and Hughes’ inclusion only strengthens the Reds’ reach across the continent.
While Edwards was able to use his contacts at Red Bull to assist in the signings of Ibrahima Konate, Sadio Mane, Takumi Minamino, and Naby Keita, Hughes’ love of Italian and Spanish football, as well as those he knows in those regions, will add another string to his bow at Anfield. It might open up two new routes for the team to pursue this summer, whoever takes over as manager.
Hughes, for example, is known to have a positive relationship with the agent of Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, having collaborated with Inaki Ibanez on the transaction to bring manager Andoni Iraola to Bournemouth last year.
He intended to appoint Roberto De Zerbi to Bournemouth following Scott Parker’s sacking in 2022, but was pipped by Brighton & Hove Albion due to a delay in the Vitality ownership shift. Gary O’Neil has also impressed both Edwards and Hughes throughout his time with Wolves.
O’Neil, like Hughes, was a member of a group of key players at Portsmouth who would seek Edwards’ advice on a variety of topics, and his progress at Molineux, where Wolves are dreaming of European football next season, has not been overlooked. However, there will be some who believe that the Liverpool position came too soon for a coach who was just starting out at the club’s Kirkby Academy a few years back.
If the appointment of Klopp’s replacement is the most important decision for Hughes and Edwards to make in their new jobs, the new sports director must also address other serious matters as soon as possible.
This summer, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold will reach the final year of their respective Liverpool contracts. Salah’s predicament is arguably unique among the three, since he was the subject of a record £150 million offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad in August.
It remains to be seen how much appetite there is for European-based players to move to the Middle East this summer, given the quality of football and the lack of global attention, but if Saudi Pro League sides are as aggressive as they were last year, Salah may remain in their sights.
After another fantastic season on Merseyside, do Edwards, Hughes, and FSG as a whole believe the forward, who turns 32 in June, still has years at the highest level in him?
Van Dijk believes that the captain’s contract should not be allowed to expire without being resolved. The centre-back has been exceptional throughout the season and is a contender for Footballer of the Year award. The Reds captain recently revealed the lengths he goes to maintain himself in peak form, despite the fact that he will turn 33 in July.
“Since I was at Southampton, I started to pay a lot more attention to having my own little team around me,” Van Dijk explained earlier this month. “That obviously improves my life, physique, and performance significantly. And everything was fine before, but I want to improve and make the most of it, and the hard effort that no one sees is the key to success.”
If there are serious judgments to be made about Salah and Van Dijk because to their relative ages, Alexander-Arnold’s situation is undoubtedly more easy. At 25, the vice-captain is entering his prime years, and, as evidenced by his elevation last summer, he is taking on even more responsibility within the club. This will most likely result in better terms when they are negotiated.
Liverpool’s new sporting director’s in-tray is already piling up, despite the fact that he does not officially begin his job until June 1. Edwards, on the other hand, is confident that he is the best person for the job.
