Blow for Liverpool as sporting director quits

JULIAN WARD, Liverpool’s sporting director, has informed the club he will step down from his position at the end of the season.

It is a sudden and unexpected development, as the 41-year- old only took over from Michael edwards at the end of last season.

It is understood the decision has been made for personal reasons and the club have reluctantly accepted his period of notice.

Liverpool maintain it is not a development that will impact on the plans they have for the next two transfer windows, but this news is significant as it comes in the middle of a period of great uncertainty for the club.

In the last month, owners Fenway Sports Group have put the club up for sale and Mike Gordon, the president who oversees day-to- day business, is stepping back from his crucial role.

Ward, who has held a number of positions within Liverpool’s technical staff since he joined them in 2011, succeeded the influential edwards, having worked alongside him for the previous 12 months.

Ward had a whirlwind start to his time as sporting director as he was instrumental in securing the potential club-record signing of Darwin Nunez from Benfica, before completing Liverpool’s contract extension for Mohamed Salah.

There have been a number of other new deals in recent months, too, with Diogo Jota, Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones all committing their futures to the club, and the signing of Fabio Carvalho from Fulham is one Liverpool believe will reap rich dividends.

Ward enjoys a close relationship with Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool maintain the manager’s decision to extend his own contract to June 2026 is the element that provides stability going forward.

FSG are confident the club’s chief executive Billy Hogan can step up and take over the role Gordon has held but they will look for an external candidate to replace Ward.