Ornstein: Edwards expected to leave Liverpool,

Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards is expected to step down from his position after the current season following a hugely successful period with the Anfield club.

Edwards’ existing contract is scheduled to end next summer and he is believed to have informed the Liverpool hierarchy of his intention to move on, although the situation has yet to be finalised.

Amicable discussions are thought to have been happening internally for some time and while it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Edwards signs a new deal, the anticipation is he will exit. No other teams are said to be involved in the decision and Liverpool would still find themselves in good shape, having promoted Julian Ward to the role of assistant sporting director last December.

Ward is highly regarded in the game and has become an increasingly visible and influential figure at Liverpool, working alongside the likes of Edwards, manager Jurgen Klopp and recruitment staff.

But the departure of Edwards would arrive as a surprise to many, given his emergence as such an important figure since joining Liverpool in November 2011 as head of performance and analysis. He progressed to director of technical performance and then technical director before the post as sporting director, which Edwards has occupied since November 2016 to no shortage of acclaim.

 

Edwards (left) with Jurgen Klopp and FSG’s Mike Gordon (Photo: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

One of the main architects behind Liverpool’s rise under owners Fenway Sports Group, Edwards has played an enormous part in helping build the football operation that saw the club secure a sixth European Cup in 2019 and end their 30-year wait for an English league title the next season.

Having experienced a low-key playing career at Peterborough United, Edwards earned a degree in informatics and was employed by Harry Redknapp as an analyst with Portsmouth in 2003. He rejoined Redknapp in 2009 at Tottenham, where chairman Daniel Levy trusted Edwards to reshape the analysis department. They went on to achieve Champions League qualification for the first time and Edwards was later taken to Liverpool by then director of football Damien Comolli.

Edwards soon formed part of Liverpool’s “transfer committee” and was involved in some of the Merseysiders’ most impressive transfers, including the acquisitions of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and Georginio Wijnaldum.

Perhaps even more notable has been Edwards’ extraordinary record for generating huge profits via sales, most famously Philippe Coutinho’s transfer to Barcelona in a deal worth £142 million. More recently he has overseen fresh contracts for Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho and Allison — enhancing his reputation among the industry’s leading behind-the-scenes operators.