The search for a new Liverpool sporting director has begun at a particularly complicated moment for the Premier League champions, with Richard Hughes’ departure for Al-Hilal leaving the club looking for its fifth sporting director since 2022.
Hughes spent only two years at Anfield, but his influence was significant. He oversaw the appointment of Andoni Iraola and played a major role in reshaping Liverpool’s squad, including the arrival of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Victor Munoz and Bradley Barcola.
Now, Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon is leading the search for his replacement. Liverpool want a swift appointment, but the priority is finding someone prepared to build a long-term relationship with the club rather than simply filling a vacant position.
Who could become Liverpool sporting director?
Several names have already emerged as potential candidates, with Liverpool able to look internally before considering options elsewhere.
David Woodfine is one of the strongest internal possibilities. Previously Liverpool’s director of loans, Woodfine worked as Hughes’ assistant and was recently pictured showing Iraola around the AXA Training Centre when the Spanish coach arrived.
Julian Ward is another intriguing option. Ward served as Liverpool’s sporting director between 2022 and 2023 before moving into his current role as FSG’s technical director. During his previous spell, he helped oversee the recruitment of Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez.
Pedro Marques could also enter the conversation. The FSG director of football development previously worked as Benfica’s technical director and was involved in the recruitment of Enzo Fernandez for around £10 million. Before that, he worked as a first-team performance analyst at Manchester City.
An external appointment remains possible, although Luis Campos would be an ambitious target. The Paris St-Germain football adviser has extensive experience at the highest level, but his immediate future appears closely connected to the European champions.
Whoever gets the Liverpool sporting director job will inherit a club undergoing major structural change.
Richard Hughes leaves behind major decisions
The departure of Richard Hughes creates another layer of uncertainty because Liverpool have already experienced considerable turnover among their senior football executives.
Hughes’ exit follows the departure of Michael Edwards from his senior FSG football role, while the club have also changed managers and lost several important players.
Hughes has also taken recruitment staff Mark Burchill and Craig McKee with him to Saudi Arabia, meaning his successor must help maintain continuity within Liverpool’s recruitment operation.
The immediate challenge is not simply identifying new players. The next Liverpool sporting director must understand the club’s recruitment philosophy, work effectively with FSG and establish a strong working relationship with Iraola.
That relationship could prove particularly important because Iraola’s connection with Hughes from their Bournemouth days helped influence his appointment at Anfield.
Should Liverpool keep Alisson and Van Dijk?
Two of the biggest decisions facing the new Liverpool sporting director involve players who have been central to the club’s recent success.
Alisson’s contract expires at the end of the season. Liverpool resisted interest from Juventus during the summer and the Brazilian remains Iraola’s first-choice goalkeeper, despite no longer being at his absolute peak.
Giorgi Mamardashvili provides an alternative, while teenage goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans is expected to arrive from Genk next summer in a deal worth up to £30 million. Neither currently offers the same certainty as Alisson.
Losing the Brazilian goalkeeper could therefore create an unnecessary problem at a time when Liverpool are trying to remain competitive.
Virgil van Dijk presents another major decision. The captain is also out of contract next summer, and losing both him and Alisson in the same transfer window would remove two hugely experienced figures from the dressing room.
Van Dijk is now 35, but he remains an elite centre-back and could provide invaluable guidance to younger defenders such as Jeremy Jacquet, Giovanni Leoni, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye.
Midfield could become Liverpool’s next problem
The Liverpool sporting director will also need to monitor a midfield that looks adequate on paper but could become vulnerable during a demanding season.
Curtis Jones left for Inter Milan during the summer, while Liverpool chose not to replace him directly. Iraola has instead placed greater faith in Trey Nyoni, who impressed during pre-season.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister are expected to carry much of the workload, making injuries potentially costly.
Liverpool have previously looked at Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, and that interest could become relevant again in January or next summer.
Mac Allister’s contract runs until 2028, but there are currently no discussions over an extension. That gives the new Liverpool sporting director another long-term situation to monitor.
Attack gives the new Liverpool sporting director breathing room
Fortunately, Liverpool’s attacking options provide fewer immediate concerns.
Hughes oversaw an extraordinary amount of attacking recruitment, with Isak, Wirtz, Ekitike, Munoz and Barcola joining the squad. Eighteen-year-old Rio Ngumoha is also expected to sign a long-term agreement.
Cody Gakpo was another important decision. Liverpool rejected interest from Manchester City and kept the Netherlands international, who has already contributed one goal and three assists this season.
Still, another lucrative offer could test the club’s resolve if Liverpool strengthen their wide options.
A crucial appointment for Liverpool’s future
The next Liverpool sporting director will arrive at a club that remains in a strong position but has experienced an unusually turbulent summer.
The manager has changed, several senior players have departed, new investors have arrived and Hughes has left earlier than expected. The new sporting director must therefore provide stability at a time when Liverpool need clear football leadership.
Most importantly, that person must build a productive relationship with Iraola. The Spaniard signed only a two-year contract after making it clear that he wanted to feel genuinely wanted rather than simply protected by a long-term agreement.
Hughes played a major role in bringing him to Anfield. His successor must now ensure that relationship does not become a casualty of the changes around the club.
For Liverpool, finding a sporting director is therefore about far more than replacing Richard Hughes. It is about choosing the person who could shape the next era of the club.
