Liverpool appoint Julian Ward as new sporting director

Liverpool have appointed Julian Ward as the club's new sporting director.

Ward, 45, replaces Richard Hughes, who held the role for just over two years before leaving in September.

This will be Ward's second stint as sporting director at Anfield, having first done the job during the 2022-23 season. He said he was "incredibly excited" to take on the role.

Ward joined Liverpool in 2012 as European scouting manager for Spain and Portugal and was promoted to assistant sporting director in 2020.

He succeeded Michael Edwards two years later but by November 2022, it had been confirmed that Ward would leave at the end of that season.

Ward was brought back in 2024 as Fenway Sports Group's technical director when Liverpool's owners made Edwards their chief executive of football - and has been responsible for overseeing player development pathways and the academy for the past two years.

FSG president Mike Gordon said: "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 Ward's appointment gives Liverpool's hierarchy some much-needed stability after a summer of transition.

Ward has done the sporting director job before - and bar a spell between the summers of 2023 and 2024, has been at the club since 2012.

Liverpool did speak to external candidates but Ward was seen as the stand-out choice.

One source described him as: "Calm, well-spoken and with a clear opinion and vision."

Ward's previous spell as sporting director came under Jurgen Klopp, where he oversaw the signings of Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister and Darwin Nunez - he has a global contacts network and plenty of experience when it comes to negotiations.

He was also influential when Mohamed Salah renewed his contract in 2022 - flying to see Salah on holiday to seal the deal - and his relationship with the agent Jorge Mendes helped Liverpool in their pursuit of Diogo Jota.

There will be plenty of jobs for Ward to tackle - including the securing of Rio Ngumoha on a long-term deal now that he is 18 and determining whether new contracts are offered to Alisson and Virgil van Dijk before their current agreements expire this summer.

As FSG's technical director, Ward played a role in Liverpool's push to recruit younger talent. And he has a good relationship with Mike Gordon, who oversees the day-to-day running of the club.

Under Klopp, Ward left 12 months into a three-year deal, but should have more of a say now, given how the head coach role has been structured under both Arne Slot and his successor Andoni Iraola.

Time will tell if Ward's appointment proves successful - but in the here and now, he looks a more-than-sensible choice.