8 months ago
157 
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
Following recent news Michael Edwards would return as CEO of Football Operations, Hughes has been announced as Liverpool’s next Sporting Director.
A week after announcing that former sporting director Michael Edwards had agreed to return to lead Liverpool into the post-Jürgen Klopp era as the club’s new CEO of Football Operations, the club have today confirmed that he will be joined by Richard Hughes in his old role of sporting director.
Following his retirement as a player with Bournemouth in 2014, Hughes joined that club’s recruitment team and eventually rose to the role of Technical Director, and from early on in the current season there had been speculation that he would likely be moving on in the summer seeking a new challenge.
Early chatter linked him with Newcastle United, but following news that Klopp and his support team would be departing at end of season—and with Hughes having links to Michael Edwards—the consensus over the past month had coalesced around a move to Liverpool for the 44-year-old.
“I am incredibly proud to be offered this opportunity,” Hughes said of his appointment. “Liverpool is a unique club and I’m grateful to be given a chance to serve it in this capacity. People rightly talk about the rich history this organisation can boast, but it is the present and future which really excites me.”
Hughes’ arrival marks the first major move by Edwards as the club’s new CEO seeks to establish a new foundation at the club to ease the transition of Klopp’s pending departure in the hopes he can maintain Liverpool’s place amongst the top club sides in England and Europe in the coming years.
“I’m delighted Richard has agreed to join us,” Edwards noted. “I’ve known him half of my life in a professional and personal capacity and he is absolutely someone who embodies the best values of Liverpool FC. I trust him completely. He has outstanding judgement and a track record of smart decisions.
“Both Richard and I are aware of the weight of responsibility that comes with working in this capacity for a club such as this. It is clear to everyone that Jürgen will leave a legacy to build upon and in Richard we have the right person to make the key decisions and offer the leadership to take us forward.”
