Julian Ward has been appointed as Liverpool’s new Sporting director.
Ward comes in as a replacement for Richard Hughes, who held the role for two and a half years before resigning to take the same role with Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of the month. Ward previously served in this capacity as Liverpool’s sporting director in the 2022/2023 season, and this is his second stint in the role.
Ward joined Liverpool in 2012 from Manchester City as the club’s European scouting manager for Spain and Portugal. He rose through the ranks steadily, handling several roles, including European scouting manager and director of loan player management, and was promoted to assistant sporting director in 2020.
Ward took over from Michael Edwards as Sporting Director in 2022 but left the role at the end of that season for personal reasons. He returned to Liverpool in 2024 and was named Fenway Sports Group’s technical director, while Edwards served as chief executive of football. In that role, Ward oversaw Liverpool’s global talent pathways and the academy.
Following Hughes departure, expectations around Liverpool and the media were for Ward to step into the role, due to his expertise with FSG’s mode of operation. The FSG president, Mike Gordon, led the search for Hughes’ replacement, and the club wanted a swift resolution. Gordon previously employed Ward as technical director and has rehired him as sporting director.
Ward expressed his delight at his appointment in a news release on Liverpool’s website:
“I am incredibly excited to take on this role, and it goes without saying that I am hugely grateful for the trust that has been placed in me by ownership.”
“Having been part of Liverpool’s football operation for more than a decade, I have a full appreciation and first-hand knowledge of the challenge that comes with the position, as well as a clear understanding of the demands and ambitions of this great club.
“This is an exciting period for Liverpool – on and off the pitch – in which change and opportunity go hand in hand, but at the same time the culture, values and principles that have underpinned the club for so long remain as strong as ever.
“As a football club, we will continue to create an environment that maximises performance while promoting the continued development of our players and our people. Building on these strong foundations and the work overseen by our football operations in recent seasons is both a huge responsibility and a privilege.”
Mike Gordon, FSG president, in a news release on Liverpool’s website:
“We are delighted that Julian has agreed to take over leadership of our football operations department at this juncture, primarily because it is a role for which we believe he is the ideal candidate given his extensive experience of the football industry in general and Liverpool Football Club in particular.”
“The knowledge and expertise he brings will only enhance our football operations, while also ensuring Andoni Iraola is provided with the support he requires as he continues to make such a positive impression as head coach.”
“Julian’s appointment also represents the continuation of a long-standing relationship which has always served Liverpool well, and we very much look forward to the next stage in its development.”
Ward: A critical addition
Ward’s appointment offers Liverpool stability in a transitional period, marked by the departures of Hughes and Edwards and the owners’ ongoing sale of a 38% stake in the club to 1892 Holdings for £2bn; the consortium, led by Amit Bhatia, includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Liverpool examined multiple candidates for the role, but Ward’s candidacy stood out, and his appointment was seen as a no-brainer. Ward has spent over a decade at the club and is familiar with the inner workings and day-to-day operations of the club. His extensive knowledge made him invaluable to Mike Gordon for the role.
Ward is greatly experienced at the negotiating tables and has a global network of contacts. His previous stint as Liverpool’s sporting director heralded the arrivals of Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister, Darwin Nunez, and Cody Gakpo. Diaz and Nunez were integral to Liverpool’s success before they were moved on, while Gakpo and Mac Allister have become mainstays in Liverpool’s team, across three different managers.
His signings of Calvin Ramsay and Fábio Carvalho were less impactful, but Liverpool made a sizable profit when they sold Carvalho to Brentford for £22.5 million in August 2025. Ward played a key role in Mo Salah’s contract renewal in 2022, and his relationship with Jorge Mendes also helped Liverpool get a deal over the line for the late Diogo Jota.
Ward has enormous tasks in front of him. Getting wonderkid Rio Ngumoha who turned 18 in August to commit his long-term future and sign a professional contract with Liverpool would be top of his priority list. Virgil van Dijk and Alisson are out of contract next summer, and the critical decision on their contract renewal falls on his head. Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo are also out of contract next summer.
Alexis Mac Allister’s case is a priority too, as his strong start to the season has earned him a right to contract renewal consideration. The midfielder previously revealed the club had told him they were not offering a new contract to him when his current deal expires in 2028. Throw Liverpool’s need for a traditional right winger into the mix too.
Ward’s appointment feels like the perfect one for Liverpool at the moment. In his role as technical director, he championed Liverpool’s quest to recruit young talent globally, with successful cases to his name. It remains to be seen if he’ll be a failure or a success in this new but familiar role.
