Richard Hughes Would be Michael Edwards’ First Liverpool Target

Highlights

• Liverpool could look to appoint AFC Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes as their new sporting director if Michael Edwards returns to Anfield
• The Reds are facing a summer upheaval with Jurgen Klopp’s pending departure and Jorg Schmadtke exit.
• Fenway Sports Group have asked Edwards if he would consider a return to Merseyside to control the football structure at the club.

Liverpool would likely appoint AFC Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes as their new sporting director if Michael Edwards were to return to Anfield in the near future, as journalist Ben Jacobs debates the likelihood of the latter’s arrival.

The Reds are set to undergo significant upheaval during the summer following Jurgen Klopp’s announcement that he will leave the club at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Jorg Schmadtke has also left his short-term post as sporting director, leaving Liverpool needing a new football structure before any managerial appointments are confirmed. Edwards enjoyed a successful spell on Merseyside as the club’s sporting director, whilst Hughes has impressed in his role at Bournemouth during the current season.

Liverpool aiming to convince Edwards on a return

With Schmadtke out of the picture and Klopp set for a departure at the end of the 2023/24 season, it promises to be a summer of complete change at Liverpool. The Reds are battling to secure the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League titles following their Carabao Cup success in February.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently revealed that Liverpool will make a final attempt to convince former sporting director Edwards to return. Fenway Sports Group want the 44-year-old to take over the club’s football structure and put a new team in place, including a Schmadtke successor and a new head coach.

Edwards enjoyed a successful spell in his previous role at Anfield before deciding to leave the six-time European Cup winners in the summer of 2022. The Englishman was responsible for some of Liverpool’s best signings in recent years, including Andrew Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, a trio of players who helped the side secure a Champions League and Premier League title in Klopp’s tenure.

Meanwhile, reports in January circulated that Bournemouth’s Hughes could be in line to succeed Schmadtke in the vacant sporting director role at Anfield. The 44-year-old was appointed as the Cherries’ technical director under Eddie Howe in 2016 and has recently overseen the successful hire of Rayo Vallecano head coach Andoni Iraola. Hughes could be intrigued by the chance to take up a role at the end of the season at a Premier League giant such as Liverpool.

Ben Jacobs – Liverpool waiting on Edwards’ decision before moving on to alternatives

Jacobs is told that Liverpool are in a ‘dual-process’ of looking at non-Edwards candidates as sporting director whilst waiting to see if the former Reds man will return to the club. The journalist has said that his first appointment would likely be Hughes. Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT:

“Edwards would look to bring in a sporting director below him, who would likely be Hughes from Bournemouth. So, if Liverpool plan to try and get Edwards and give him control, they can’t move for anybody else yet because they need an answer first from Edwards. If he says yes, he’ll recruit for everything, including the new manager. They’ll move on to other sporting directors and continue their managerial search if he says no.

“So, we’ve almost got a dual process where Liverpool is looking at non-Edwards candidates for sporting director. First, Liverpool are waiting to see whether Edwards wants this overarching role. If he says yes, then everything is almost on pause to allow Edwards to input to a sporting director, any other recruitment roles, and, of course, a new manager.”

Liverpool manager update, including latest on Xabi Alonso

With Klopp’s departure on the horizon, Liverpool will work behind the scenes to assess who the ideal candidate is to replace the German head coach. The 56-year-old was appointed in October 2015 and has won almost everything there is to win during his time at Anfield, including a fabled Premier League title in 2020.

According to Romano, Liverpool managerial candidate Xabi Alonso will take his time before deciding the next move of his career. The Spaniard is currently leading Bayer Leverkusen to a potential first Bundesliga title at the expense of Bayern Munich, who have won every German top-flight title since the 2012/13 season. With Thomas Tuchel leaving the Allianz Arena at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Bayern will also be looking for a manager and set their sights on Alonso.

The Athletic also reports that Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim and German national team manager Julian Nagelsmann are also being considered for the soon-to-be vacant Liverpool job. Brighton & Hove Albion’s Roberto De Zerbi, Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe, and Lens’ Franck Haise also ‘score high on data’ but are considered less likely to make the Reds’ final shortlist.

All statistics provided by The Athletic and the Premier League’s official website, correct as of 01-03-24.