Liverpool have confirmed Julian Ward as their new sporting director, bringing back a familiar face to lead the club's football operations less than a month after Richard Hughes formally stepped down from the position.
Ward, 45, previously held the role during the 2022-23 season before informing FSG of his wish to step away for personal reasons. He has since been working within the Fenway Sports Group structure as technical director, a position in which he oversaw the global talent strategy that guided Liverpool's recruitment of several highly rated young players this year.
The search for Hughes's successor was led by FSG president Mike Gordon, and Ward was already employed within the ownership group when his name came to the fore as the preferred candidate. His return is viewed as offering continuity at a time when the club's hierarchy has seen considerable upheaval, with four different sporting directors having held the post since 2022.
"I am incredibly excited to take on this role and it goes without saying that I am hugely grateful for the trust that has been placed in me by ownership," Ward told the club. "Having been part of Liverpool's football operation for more than a decade, I have a full appreciation and first-hand knowledge of the challenge that comes with the position, as well as a clear understanding of the demands and ambitions of this great club."
Mike Gordon welcomed the appointment, saying he regarded Ward as the ideal candidate given his extensive experience of the football industry and of Liverpool in particular. The FSG president added that Ward's knowledge and expertise would enhance the football operations department and ensure that head coach Andoni Iraola received the support he needed.
Ward's background spans scouting, recruitment and football strategy across several major organisations. Born on Merseyside, he studied sports science at Liverpool John Moores University before his first significant role as part of Carlos Queiroz's Portugal technical team in 2008. He joined Manchester City in November 2010, with his work as their South American scouting strategist coinciding with the club's first Premier League title in 2012.
During his initial Liverpool tenure, Ward was responsible for bringing in Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister, all three of whom contributed to the Premier League title-winning campaign under Arne Slot. He was also influential in securing Mohamed Salah's contract renewal in 2022, and his relationship with agent Jorge Mendes proved valuable in Liverpool's pursuit of Diogo Jota.
The in-tray he inherits is a demanding one. Captain Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson Becker are both out of contract next summer, while Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo will all see their current deals expire in 2027. The future of Alexis Mac Allister is also unresolved after the midfielder confirmed earlier this month that the club had not offered him a new contract beyond 2028. Securing Rio Ngumoha on a long-term arrangement, now that the player has turned 18, is another early item on Ward's agenda.
Ward steps into a structure that includes assistant sporting director David Woodfine, chief scout Barry Hunter, FSG director of football development Pedro Marques and Iraola's senior leadership team. His predecessor Hughes, who spent around £240 million in the 2026 summer window before departing for Al-Hilal, expressed warm feelings toward the club on his way out, saying he would always follow and support Liverpool with great affection. Hughes's exit was the latest in a series of high-profile departures, with Michael Edwards also having left his senior FSG role earlier this summer and Arne Slot succeeded by Iraola as head coach in June.
Reporting: Daily Mail, ESPN, BBC Sport, RTÉ, CaughtOffside, The Guardian, Mirror.