Richard Hughes and Liverpool's big sporting director problem as uncertainty reigns

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Since Michael Edwards left as sporting director four years ago, one of the club's most important positions has been problematic more often that Liverpool would have liked.Edwards publicly signed off as sporting director over four years ago, when he was present at the Liverpool supporters' fan park in Cour de Vincennes, Paris, just hours before the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid at the Stade de France.The executive played a significant role in turning the Reds from pretenders to champions under Jurgen Klopp and he was certainly entitled to enjoy the festivities in the centre of the fan park as the Lightning Seeds went through their setlist on May 28, 2022.Had the Reds gone on to lift a seventh European Cup later that evening, in fact, it would have been the perfect send-off for such an integral cog in the success enjoyed by Klopp, his players and staff.It was not to be, of course, but Edwards has been back in the saddle for the last two years in a new role as Fenway Sports Group's CEO of football.In the years since, however, Liverpool have had difficulty at times in establishing the sort of continuity that a long-term sporting director is supposed to provide.Julian Ward had long since been earmarked to replace Edwards in the role, having been handed the job title of 'assistant sporting director' in 2020 but within months, he was handing in his notice, staying on to secure the signature of Alexis Mac Allister in June 2023 before walking away.It was stressed that Jorg Schmadtke, Ward's replacement, was given the job on an interim basis because of the need to restructure the squad, specifically the midfield, in the summer of 2023 - and while it was always argued that the German wasn't 'Jurgen Klopp's man', the former goalkeeper eventually conceded as much.Schmadtke acted as something of a buffer between the incessant needs of the outside world and Klopp's office.Having seen his power base grow organically through his success at the club, Klopp also had a lengthy list of responsibilities at Anfield as a result. It was an exhaustive and exhausting amount of work that eventually led him to contemplate life outside of Liverpool."Unlike the clubs in Germany, in Liverpool I was responsible for the transfers, but I mainly worked with Jurgen," Schmadtke told Die Ziet.

"I stopped everyone from knocking on his door. I no longer wanted to be part of the change process that began with the new coach.”The lesser-spotted Schmadtke, who reportedly worked mainly from the Spanish island of Ibiza during his time at the club, was eventually confirmed as having left the club just a handful of months after arriving.Schmadtke's departure was confirmed shortly after Klopp dropped the bombshell news of his end-of-season exit in January 2024.News that the club needed a sporting director was largely allowed to fall by the wayside at the time given the shock surrounding the iconic manager's plans.That opened the door for Richard Hughes to eventually arrive alongside an Edwards return in the spring of 2024, joining from Bournemouth after essentially being head-hunted by his former Portsmouth colleague.Two years into a three-term deal, however, Hughes is now expected to depart for Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, with the Scot set to link up with his good friend and former Bournemouth colleague Simon Francis.Liverpool insist Hughes is working full steam ahead for the current window and there is no suggestion the sporting director is easing away from his day-to-day duties at the club.

Just this week, for example, Hughes was at the AXA Training Centre to give new signing Jeremy Jacquet a guided tour of the £50m Kirkby facility.It's a critically important transfer window for the club as they look to begin a new era at Anfield under head coach Andoni Iraola, who Hughes was integral to appointing last month, and the idea the sporting director is already planning for life in Saudi Arabia has been rubbished.But there is a growing acceptance that Hughes won't stay on beyond the deal that runs out in 2027 and sources in recruitment circles believe he will look to walk away in September, when the European transfer window closes.That will leave Liverpool once more on the search for a sporting director and if Hughes is working flat out to ensure the Reds emerge from the window a much stronger proposition, there must also be another task behind the scenes to find his successor.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page