There are reports that Julian Ward is back at Liverpool as he has been appointed technical director through FSG chief executive Michael Edwards.
Liverpool are in the midst of a first overhaul as it became clear in January that they needed to update former sporting director Jorg Schmadtke and outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp.
FSG’s first task was to upgrade Schmadtke and they temporarily focused on renewing Edwards, who had been without a club since leaving Liverpool in June 2022.
Edwards was unwilling to return to football as sporting director, but the FSG tempted him to return to Liverpool by giving him a bigger role in their organisation.
The 44-year-old was appointed FSG’s general director of football in March and another temporary deal was reached to make Richard Hughes his new sporting director ahead of his summer departure from Premier League rivals AFC Bournemouth.
While Arne Slot is also undercover to update Klopp, a report from The Athletic’s James Pearce that Edwards had secured Ward’s services.
Ward was Liverpool manager Edwards’ first stint at Anfield and was briefly his sporting director before following his colleague when he left the Premier League club in March 2023.
Pearce also revealed that Edwards has appointed Benfica’s Pedro Marques as Liverpool’s new director of football development. The journalist explained how they will have compatibility at Anfield.
“Ward will be guilty of overseeing the progress of players in all FSG football operations. His wide range of day-to-day work will include overseeing Liverpool’s academy, FSG’s loan department, progression methods for players across the elite group and the creation of FSG’s new Football Innovation Department. He will also preside over control of the football operations of any club that joins the robust FSG as U. S. owners seek to identify a multi-club model.
Hughes’ role will be to oversee the training, recruitment, negotiations, medical operations and sports clinics, as well as administrative and service control of the Kirkby Training Complex.
“Hughes and Ward, who will report to Edwards, will be guilty of making sure academy graduates and young players acquired from around the world remain an important source of first-team ability.
Marques, who will report to Ward, is considered by Edwards to be a leading expert in player development, career paths, coaching methodologies and functionality analysis.
“Marques’ role included overseeing the progression of young players and their transition to first-team football, leading the recruitment of coaches and overseeing a youth design comprised of 39 groups and around six hundred players. Rubén Dias, Joao Felix, Gonçalo Ramos, Antonio Silva and Joao Neves were among those who joined Benfica’s first team.
“Edwards believes Marques’ experience and expertise make him the ideal user for FSG’s growing football operations. Marques and Ward will assume their new roles on June 1.
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