Liverpool Seek Fourth Sporting Director After Hughes Steps Down

Liverpool are hunting for a fourth sporting director in as many years after confirming Richard Hughes has stepped down from the role.

The move has been on the horizon for months. Hughes, 47, is expected to take up a similar position with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal and told Liverpool early in the year that he intended to leave, shortly after his close ally Michael Edwards departed his post as chief executive of football for Fenway Sports Group (FSG).

Rather than cut ties immediately, Liverpool chose continuity. With the club already deep into work on their summer business – including the £123m signing of Bradley Barcola – and with Hughes enjoying a strong working relationship with new head coach Andoni Iraola, all parties agreed he would remain in place until the end of the transfer window.

The club are keen to stress one point: they say Al-Hilal made no approach for Hughes to start work this summer and are satisfied he operated solely on Liverpool’s behalf throughout the window.

Now the search begins again. FSG president Mike Gordon, who resumed day-to-day oversight of the club after Edwards’ exit, is leading the process to identify Hughes’s successor. Whoever comes in will be the fourth different figure to occupy the role since Edwards stepped down in 2022, following Julian Ward, Jörg Schmadtke and Hughes.

Despite the churn at the top of the recruitment department, Liverpool insist the broader football structure remains stable. Ward continues as technical director for FSG, with Pedro Marques in place as director of football development. Assistant sporting director David Woodfine, chief scout Barry Hunter and the senior leadership team at the training centre all stay in position.

The framework is set. The question now is who Liverpool trust to sit at the centre of it.