There was a time in football where boardroom hirings and firings all went on unnoticed behind the scenes. That time has well and truly passed.
Those within a club’s hierarchy are now celebrities in their own right and Liverpool have announced their latest high-profile signing, with Michael Edwards returning to Anfield after several years away.
The Reds’ former sporting director is being met with great fanfare after agreeing a fresh contract with the Merseyside club and will undertake a new role under Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG).
But just who is Michael Edwards and why were Liverpool so desperate to get him back?
The Southampton-born football chief began his journey in the game with an analyst position at Portsmouth in 2003, spending six years with Pompey under Harry Redknapp. Unbelievably, Edwards was only an IT teacher in Peterborough prior to his appointment on the south coast, with the 44-year-old enjoying a meteoric rise.
Edwards made the move to Tottenham Hotspur to become a chief analyst in north London in 2009, staying with the club for two years before Liverpool snapped him up.
He also started as an analyst at Anfield but quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the club’s head of methodology in 2013 and then technical director in 2015. After just over a year in the latter role, Liverpool promoted him to the position of sporting director, where Edwards flourished.
He spent just under six years as Liverpool’s sporting director, helping oversee the club’s most successful period in recent history under Jurgen Klopp. He was vital in the recruitment of the Reds’ Premier League and Champions League-winning sides, but he eventually left his role in 2022 in search of a bigger challenge.
Edwards was then involved in setting up a sports advisory company Ludonautics, rejecting offers from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United as he waited for the perfect opportunity to return to football.
That opportunity has now arisen as he commits to working with Liverpool’s owners FSG once again, resigning from Ludonautics and taking on a much grander role second time round with the Reds.
Edwards will become the new CEO of football for FSG, which effectively means running football operations at Liverpool given that’s the only club the American company currently own.
Edwards is set to appoint Richard Hughes as the club’s sporting director – a former Portsmouth player who has been working with Bournemouth as a technical director for almost a decade.
Edwards’ first task, alongside Hughes, will be to appoint Liverpool’s managerial successor to Jurgen Klopp, a decision which is of great significance to the club’s direction moving forward. Xabi Alonso is the priority candidate at present, with the likes of Ruben Amorim, Julian Nagelsmann and Roberto De Zerbi further down the shortlist.
However, Edwards revealed upon his appointment that he is excited about the opportunity to “acquire and oversee an additional club” to add to FSG’s portfolio – somewhat similar to controversial multi-club models employed by Chelsea and Manchester City.
As sporting director at Liverpool, Edwards was crucial in helping the club acquire new talent and quickly became known as someone with an eye for talent and a clever negotiator. The Reds chief was able to identify both good value and profitable deals when it came to player acquisitions and sales, helping transform Klopp’s side during his first spell with the club.
The likes of Virgil van Dijk (£75m), Alisson (£62m), Ibrahima Konate (£36m), Mohamed Salah (34m) and Andy Robertson (£8m) were all signed with his guidance, while he also had an impact on deals for Sadio Mane (£34m) and Joel Matip (free) during his time as the club’s technical director.
In terms of player sales, Philippe Coutinho’s £142m exit to Barcelona was a masterstroke of his and allowed Liverpool to sign Van Dijk and Alisson, while he also managed to secure significant fees for Mamadou Sakho (£26m), Rhian Brewster (£23.5m) and Dominic Solanke (£19m).
While he won’t be acting as the club’s sporting director upon his return, he will still be influential when it comes to recruitment.
Liverpool supporters were delighted to see Edwards return to the club and the experienced chief was also excited to rekindle his relationship with the Reds.
“It was vital for me that, if I did return, it had to be with renewed vigour and energy. In practice, this means having fresh challenges and opportunities,” Edwards said in an FSG released statement.
“As such, one of the biggest factors in my decision is the commitment to acquire and oversee an additional club, growing this area of their organisation. I believe that to remain competitive, investment and expansion of the current football portfolio is necessary.
“With Liverpool, I will oversee the required reinforcement of football operations, with a number of essential leadership positions needing urgent attention.
“I know from personal experience what a wonderful job Mike Gordon has done with day-to-day oversight on behalf of his fellow owners. Going forward I’m looking forward to working with FSG’s Board of Managers.
“Also, in assuming this role, I fully understand that it comes with great expectations, and I therefore intend to identify, hire, and subsequently empower leaders who meet and embody the club’s values and ambitions.”
Edwards has been entrusted by FSG to oversee what will be a challenging transition away from Klopp’s methods this summer, with Liverpool’s immediate future still somewhat uncertain. However, in Edwards, the Reds now have a safe pair of hands running things behind the scenes.
