Three players Julian Ward must sign for Liverpool as Reds confirm sporting director appointment

By Ben Knapton | 26 Sep 2026 09:28, Last updated: 26 Sep 2026 09:28

Liverpool person confirmed the assignment of Julian Ward arsenic their caller sporting manager pursuing the exit of Richard Hughes.

After a mixed two-year stint astatine Anfield alongside Arne Slot, which saw Liverpool triumph the 2024-25 Premier League earlier a disastrous rubric defence past term, Hughes departed for Al-Hilal earlier this summer.

Ward was instantly considered a starring campaigner to instrumentality implicit the reins, having already served arsenic Liverpool's sporting manager successful the 2022-23 season, alongside holding assorted different roles astatine Anfield.

The 45-year-old has worked arsenic Fenway Sports Group's method manager since May 2024, anterior to which helium was besides a scout and indebtedness subordinate manager astatine Liverpool, and helium volition present measurement up to oversee the sporting cognition connected Merseyside.

Explaining the club's determination to prosecute Ward, FSG president Mike Gordon told liverpoolfc.com: "We judge helium is the perfect campaigner fixed his extended acquisition of the shot manufacture successful wide and Liverpool Football Club successful particular.

Julian Ward reacts arsenic Liverpool corroborate sporting manager appointment

“The cognition and expertise helium brings volition lone heighten our shot operations, portion besides ensuring Andoni [Iraola] is provided with the enactment helium requires arsenic helium continues to marque specified a affirmative content arsenic caput coach.

“Julian’s assignment besides represents the continuation of a long-standing narration which has ever served Liverpool well, and we precise overmuch look guardant to the adjacent signifier successful its development."

Meanwhile, Ward added: "I americium incredibly excited to instrumentality connected this relation and it goes without saying that I americium hugely grateful for the spot that has been placed successful maine by ownership.

“Having been portion of Liverpool’s shot cognition for much than a decade, I person a afloat appreciation and first-hand cognition of the situation that comes with the position, arsenic good arsenic a wide knowing of the demands and ambitions of this large club.

“This is an breathtaking play for Liverpool – connected and disconnected the transportation – successful which alteration and accidental spell manus successful hand, but astatine the aforesaid clip the culture, values and principles that person underpinned the nine for truthful agelong stay arsenic beardown arsenic ever.

“As a shot club, we volition proceed to make an situation that maximises show portion promoting the continued improvement of our players and our people.

“In Andoni [Iraola], unneurotic with the wider squad of unit crossed the AXA Training Centre, the Academy and AXA Melwood, we person the expertise, endowment and conditions required to support driving the nine forward.

“Building connected these beardown foundations and the enactment overseen by our shot operations successful caller seasons is some a immense work and a privilege."

Three players Julian Ward indispensable motion for Liverpool

Ward succeeds Hughes pursuing a turbulent transportation model for the Reds, who negotiated a marquee attacking signing successful Bradley Barcola but failed to marque cardinal upgrades successful different areas of the pitch.

Liverpool were incapable to bring successful a caller big-money midfielder amid their refusal to manus Alexis Mac Allister a declaration extension, but Chelsea's sensational Lamine Camara transportation illness opens the doorway for an perfect 2027 signing.

Furthermore, if Mac Allister does not play his mode into a caller woody and Ryan Gravenberch besides fails to regain his erstwhile beardown form, Adam Wharton should beryllium precocious connected Ward's shortlist.

As good arsenic making a swoop for the Monaco and Crystal Palace stars, Liverpool indispensable besides program for beingness aft Virgil van Dijk, and they are understood to beryllium successful a £70m conflict with Chelsea for Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni.