Liverpool have announced the appointment of Julian Ward as their sporting director for a second time. This move follows the recent departure of Richard Hughes, who has joined Al-Hilal.
Ward previously served as Liverpool's sporting director during the 2022-23 season. For the past two years, he has been the technical director for Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the club's owners. The swift process to find Hughes' successor was led by FSG president Mike Gordon.
Ward's return offers a degree of continuity during a period of significant change within the club's hierarchy. This year has seen the exits of Hughes and former FSG chief executive of football Michael Edwards, alongside FSG's ongoing process of selling a 38% stake in the club to 1892 Holdings.
During his first spell as sporting director, Ward oversaw the signings of players including Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, and Darwin Núñez. He will now lead the club's football operation alongside assistant sporting director David Woodfine, chief scout Barry Hunter, FSG’s director of football development Pedro Marques, and Andoni Iraola’s senior leadership team.