Liverpool Transfer Guru Responsible for Salah, Mane & Van Dijk Signings Quits Post

The Reds are braced for some significant changes behind the scenes.

Michael Edwards is leaving Liverpool’s Fenway Sports Group ownership group. | Liverpool FC/Getty Images (Liverpool badge), Robin Jones/Getty Images (Edwards)

Michael Edwards is reported to have stepped down from his role as Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of soccer in the latest blow to Liverpool’s organizational structure.

According to The Athletic, Edwards, who returned to the FSG setup in 2024 after a glittering 11-year spell involved with Liverpool’s recruitment, communicated a desire to leave as far back as the autumn of 2025 and will now walk away from the final year of his contract.

No replacement for Edwards is expected, with FSG president Mike Gordon instead expected to take charge of soccer operations.

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Why Is Edwards Leaving Liverpool?

Edwards (left) was hugely involved in the Jürgen Klopp era. | John Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Edwards is widely credited with masterminding Liverpool’s squad rebuild under Jürgen Klopp, landing the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Virgil van Dijk to build a team that ultimately went on to win the Premier League and Champions League.

He walked away from his post in 2022 and, despite a number of offers from rival clubs, founded a consultancy business, only to be convinced to return to the FSG system in a post that was largely designed around managing a multi-club model.

At the time of Edwards’s return, FSG were heavily pursuing a takeover of another club across Europe to partner Liverpool. French outfit Bordeaux and Spanish pair Malaga and Getafe were all publicly explored but no deals ever materialized and the project was shelved earlier this year.

As a result, the core aspect of Edwards’s job was no longer on the table. While his desire to leave may have surfaced before the multi-club plans were formally paused, it is likely he was made aware of the internal direction of FSG well before the plans were made public.

Edwards did have other roles at Liverpool, including helping appoint Richard Hughes as sporting director. It is stressed that the Reds did not want to lose Edwards, who is likely to be in high demand following his departure from Anfield.

Whether Edwards is interested in working for another club is unknown.

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The Other Exit Impacting Liverpool

Richard Hughes is also leaving. | Robin Jones/Getty Images

Edwards is not the only influential figure departing Liverpool as the Reds are also set to lose sporting director Hughes later this year.

Hughes will remain with Liverpool for the summer transfer window but is then expected to depart for a post with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, where former Bournemouth chief Simon Francis operates as technical director.

While Edwards’s exit may not be felt directly by fans, Hughes’s eventual departure will have a significant impact on Liverpool’s day-to-day operations. He is working with new manager Andoni Iraola to bolster the squad this summer but Liverpool will soon be in the hands of a new recruitment chief.

The behind-the-scenes instability could explain Liverpool’s slow start to the transfer window. Winger Víctor Muñoz has joined from Osasuna but the Reds remain in pursuit of a number of other reinforcements, particularly a replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool are expected to pursue a new sporting director in the coming weeks, with the hope of letting any new hire work alongside Hughes for a short period to aid their transition.

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