Liverpool confirm appointment of new sporting director Richard Hughes from Bournemouth to hunt for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement, sort out transfers and new contracts under CEO of Football Michael Edwards

Liverpool have completed their move to appoint Richard Hughes as sporting director, with the former Bournemouth transfer chief now heading up their search to find Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

Mail Sport reported in late January that Hughes was on Liverpool’s radar to replace short-term sporting director Jorg Schmadtke and the Reds’ decision was heavily influenced by the arrival of Michael Edwards as CEO of Football for owners Fenway Sports Group.

Edwards and Hughes have a two-decade relationship as colleagues and friends dating back to their time together at Portsmouth. At Fratton Park, Edwards was a data analyst and Hughes a leader-like figure as a midfielder in his playing career.

Liverpool’s new kingmaker Edwards grew close with the likes of Eddie Howe, Gary O’Neil and Matt Taylor, who are all now managers. The group, including Hughes, developed an ‘analysts room’ where they shared knowledge about different football approaches.

Edwards has often talked up Hughes in football circles and it is said that he is surprised that his good friend has not been approached by any of Europe’s elite – including Liverpool – before this move to Merseyside materialised.

Finding a successor to Jurgen Klopp will be of paramount importance to the Reds before the new season

Hughes is believed to be heavily influenced by ways of working at Barcelona and AC Milan – he is fluent in Italian and has an array of contacts in Serie A – and was taken to Bournemouth with Howe, where he eventually headed up their football operations department.

On the South Coast, Hughes oversaw Bournemouth’s transformation to a stable top-flight club with shrewd business that included signing the likes of Nathan Ake, Tyrone Mings, Dominic Solanke, David Brooks and Lloyd Kelly.

The latter trio all have ties to Liverpool. Solanke was regarded as a ‘flop’ at Anfield but Hughes saw his talents and took him to the Cherries, where he is now a successful Premier League striker. Kelly and Brooks were considered by the Reds before joining Bournemouth.

Edwards views Hughes as a football-focused sporting director, different to some that are more office-based and operational-facing. This is the sort of candidate Edwards wanted to bring to Anfield and Hughes ticked every box for the new CEO of Football at FSG.

The pair often shared knowledge on players and Bournemouth were in the race to sign many stars that are now at Liverpool, including Virgil van Dijk when he was at Celtic before his move to the Cherries’ rivals Southampton.

Although Hughes missed out on several key figures in playing and management roles – largely due to Bournemouth’s lack of budget or pulling power compared to other Premier League clubs – Edwards noticed his identification of candidates was exemplary.

Hughes is an Italian football nut having been brought up near Milan and playing in Atalanta’s youth ranks before moving to the academy at Arsenal. He is described as a ‘walking, talking contacts book’ who ‘knows everybody in football’.

Due to his love of calcio, Edwards picked his brain on Serie A talents Alisson and Mohamed Salah when Liverpool first identified them as possible talents. Hughes also liked Italian boss Roberto De Zerbi, a candidate for the Reds, and tried to bring him to Bournemouth.

Xabi Alonso is considered the favourite to inherit Klopp’s place at Anfield for next season

Michael Edwards (left) has returned to the club as CEO of football under owners Fenway Sports Group

The now-Brighton boss has been mentioned as a potential successor for Klopp. Recruiting the German’s successor is top of Hughes’s to-do list, with Xabi Alonso the front-runner and Ruben Amorim of Sporting also high in contention.

Another task likely to be on his in-tray when he starts work will also be to open and try to resolve contract talks with star men Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold. All three have deals running out at the end of next season.

Hughes and Edwards do not officially start work until June 1 but both are expected to be influential from now onwards, and Liverpool’s relationship with Bournemouth is strong so this is not a problem. Edwards, for example, was at Old Trafford on Sunday sat with other Liverpool chiefs.