Ornstein: Liverpool Expected to Appoint Julian Ward as Sporting Director

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The Reds are closing in on Richard Hughes' replacement

Liverpool are expected to appoint Julian Ward as their new sporting director to succeed Richard Hughes, according to a breaking update from David Ornstein.

GIVEMESPORT senior correspondent Ben Jacobs revealed this week that the 45-year-old was a leading contender for the Liverpool role, with Brentford's Lee Dykes also under consideration.

However, according to Ornstein on Tuesday evening, Fenway Sports Group's technical director is set to get the job.

Hughes departed the position after two-and-a-half years at Anfield to reunite with former colleague Simon Francis in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.

Now, Ward has emerged as the club's preferred option with the process that was led by the FSG group now set to reach its final conclusion.

Of course, the 45-year-old has previous experience in the role, having held the position during the 2022-23 season, when the club finished fifth in the Premier League.

Having joined the club from Manchester City in 2012, Ward went from being European scouting manager for Spain and Portugal, to being promoted to assistant sporting director in 2020, where he worked alongside Michael Edwards before being named as his successor in 2022.

Ward was then appointed as FSG's technical director in 2024 after Edwards returned, where he was given the responsibility of overseeing player development pathways and the academy.

Julian Ward's Liverpool Signings

- Luis Diaz: £47m - Darwin Nunez: £64m - Cody Gakpo: £37m - Fabio Carvalho: £5m - Calvin Ramsay: £4.2m - Ben Gannon-Doak: £600,000 - Alexis Mac Allister: £35m

The plan for the 45-year-old was to oversee the football operations at the second club FSG were planning to purchase, but they shelved those plans, meaning he could take the sporting director position at Anfield instead.

The latest change follows a summer of change behind the scenes on Merseyside, with Edwards resigning from the role of the CEO of football at FSG in July, following Hughes out of the door.

In addition, two other members of Liverpool's recruitment team in Mark Burchill and Craig McKee also joined Hughes at Al Hilal.

It is not too surprising that Liverpool chiefs are set to opt for a familiar face, after so much upheaval this summer.

Not only have two key figures in Hughes and Edwards departed but, of course, there was a change in the dugout too with Andoni Iraola replacing Arne Slot after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.

Ward has already worked for Liverpool for a total of 13 years across two separate spells, and he knows the ins and outs of the club and what FSG demand from the role.

He is also known to have strong connections worldwide and can back it up with the impressive signings of Diaz, Mac Allister and Gakpo previously, all for fees under £50m.

What could be different from his last spell as sporting director is the departure of Jurgen Klopp, meaning that he could have a bigger influence now they have a head coach in place rather than a manager.

Further changes are incoming behind the scenes too, with new vice-chairman Amit Bhatia waiting for approval after his consortium agreed to buy a 38% stake in the club.

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