Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, have re-hired Julian Ward as the technical director of their football operations. Ward, who had previously worked at the club before quitting last year, has returned to oversee player development. Additionally, Pedro Marques has been appointed as the director of football development after joining from Benfica. Ward’s return comes after Michael Edwards, who also previously worked at Liverpool, was named the FSG CEO of football. These moves are part of a wider restructuring within FSG’s football operations.
Ward was considering a position as a global technical director with INEOS Football Group, owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has a stake in Manchester United. However, he decided to return to Liverpool upon FSG’s offer. Meanwhile, Richard Hughes from Bournemouth is set to take over Ward and Edwards’ former role. The responsibilities in Hughes’ role will include recruitment, negotiations, medical and science operations, and administrative and facilities management. Ward, on the other hand, will focus on overseeing player development across FSG’s football operations.
Ward’s promotion to replace Edwards in 2022 followed Edwards’ departure after a decade as Liverpool’s sporting director. During his time at the club, Ward played a key role in negotiating significant transfers such as Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, and Cody Gakpo. Jurgen Klopp’s impending departure at the end of the season will see Jorg Schmadtke take over as the interim sporting director before leaving with Klopp. As part of Edwards’ new role as CEO of Football, he will actively seek new investment opportunities similar to the multi-club ownership model of City Football Group.
The changes in Liverpool’s football operations coincide with the climax of the Premier League title race and the Champions League, which fans can watch on TNT Sports. Klopp has also made a passionate defense of Darwin Nunez amid transfer speculations, signaling Liverpool’s clear stance on future transfers. The rehiring of Julian Ward and the appointments of Pedro Marques and Richard Hughes highlight FSG’s commitment to optimizing the club’s player development and overall football strategy. The reshuffle within Liverpool’s ownership group underlines their ambition to continue competing at the highest levels of football.
