Michael Edwards to oversee post-Jurgen Klopp era at Liverpool as revered former sporting director returns to Anfield in new role

Edwards, who formerly worked as a sporting director at Liverpool, has rejoined the club. As per The Times, he is taking up a new role as the Fenway Sports Group's chief executive of football, which will require him to oversee all day-to-day football operations at Anfield, as he succeeds Mike Gordon, who will remain a part of the board.

The club's principal owner John W Henry and Gordon met Edwards face to face in Boston 10 days ago before agreeing on a deal on Monday. According to The Times, the new Liverpool head of football operations had earlier rejected offers from Chelsea and Manchester United.

After confirming his return to Liverpool, Edwards said: "I am very grateful to Mike, John, Tom and the ownership group for offering me the opportunity to take on this new leadership role within FSG. I was humbled by the desire and persistence they showed in wanting to work with me again. This is definitely not something that I take for granted given their track record across sport and business. It was vital for me that, if I did return, it had to be with renewed vigour and energy.

"In practice, this means having fresh challenges and opportunities. As such, one of the biggest factors in my decision is the commitment to acquire and oversee an additional club, growing this area of their organisation. I believe that to remain competitive, investment and expansion of the current football portfolio is necessary."

He added: "With Liverpool, I will oversee the required reinforcement of football operations, with a number of essential leadership positions needing urgent attention. I know from personal experience what a wonderful job Mike Gordon has done with day-to-day oversight on behalf of his fellow owners. In assuming this role, I fully understand that it comes with great expectations, and I therefore intend to identify, hire, and subsequently empower leaders who meet and embody the club’s values and ambitions. Having served the club previously I need no reminder of how much emotional investment is made by supporters in the city itself, as well as across the UK and the world. I am looking forward to getting started."

Gordon said of Edwards' appointment: "Michael is one of the most formidable executive talents in world football and John, Tom, and I are absolutely thrilled to have secured his services for our business. He returns to us in a role with greater seniority than he held previously and with a wider remit. It was clear when we initially reached out to him that a broader scope would be a key motivating factor for any potential return to the industry. In this regard — and many others — his ambitions matched ours.

"As an organisation, we constantly strive for improvement in our football operation, whether that be identifying fresh opportunities externally or areas for enhancement internally, and there is no better person to lead that ongoing process. In keeping with this objective, he will take over responsibilities I have previously held regarding oversight and management of Liverpool FC’s football operation. Fulfilling that role has been one of the greatest privileges of my life and handing it over and returning to a more traditional role in ownership is something I have been hoping to do for some time, but only if we could find the right individual or structure. In Michael, we now have the ideal person to assume these responsibilities. I look forward to working with him again from my position within ownership, from where I will continue to lead engagement on matters relating to football. On behalf of everyone at FSG I am delighted to welcome him back and also hugely excited to see one of the most sought-after executives back in our ranks."

At Anfield, Gordon's first project will be to identify a second club from where the Reds can scout global talents. He will also be in charge of restructuring the club's football hierarchy and finalising the deal to bring in Richard Hughes as the club's new sporting director, a role he left back in 2022.