Michael Edwards has been appointed to senior roles at Fenway Sports Group, including a role in which the former Liverpool executive will oversee the club's football operations.
The Athletic Edwards is reported to be close to agreeing a senior role with Liverpool's owners, with former Bournemouth technical director filling the vacant sporting director role after his departure from the south coast club was confirmed earlier this month. Richard Hughes was expected to take over.
Edwards' appointment has now been confirmed and he will become CEO of the Boston-based investment group's football division.
FSG president Mike Gordon said in a statement: “Michael is one of the most formidable executives in world football, as well as John (Henry) and Tom (Werner), and we are looking forward to his services for our business. We're really excited to have secured this.”
“As an organization, we are constantly striving to improve our football operations, whether it is identifying new opportunities externally or areas for strengthening internally, and I am committed to leading that ongoing process. There is no one better.”
Liverpool are in the midst of major changes following Jurgen Klopp's decision to step down this summer. Staff closest to Klopp are also set to leave, including assistant manager Pep Lijnders, while interim sporting director Jorg Schmatke also left after the January transfer window.
FSG targeted Edwards to lead a restructure and floated the idea of him taking a top job at Liverpool or within the ownership group, but Edwards initially turned down the opportunity.
However, they continued their pursuit and Edwards has now joined a much wider role, including at Liverpool, rather than specifically returning to Anfield.
Edwards (right) will lead the way in the post-Jurgen Klopp era (John Powell/Liverpool FC, via Getty Images)
“I am extremely grateful to Mike, John, Tom and the ownership group for offering me the opportunity to take on this new leadership role within FSG,” Edwards said.
“I was humbled by their enthusiasm and tenacity to work with me again. Given their track record in sports and business, this is no surprise.”
Edwards has turned down numerous offers to return to football after leaving Liverpool in 2022, but following detailed discussions in Boston in early March, he has now replaced Gordon in day-to-day decision-making regarding all aspects of football. has become a person.
Mr Gordon will reduce his involvement in football, but will remain on the FSG board and Mr Edwards will report to the board.
Edwards' new role will also include assisting in the identification and subsequent management of FSG's second club to attract global talent to Liverpool.
“If I was going to come back, it was extremely important to me that I come back with renewed vigor and energy,” Edwards said. “In practice, this means there are new challenges and opportunities.
“Therefore, one of the biggest factors in my decision is the commitment to acquire and oversee additional clubs and grow this area of the organization. To remain competitive, we need to make significant changes to our current football portfolio. We believe we need to invest and expand.”
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Michael Edwards – the visionary behind Liverpool's remarkable rise
Edwards took a year off after the game against Liverpool, but returned to football in 2023 after setting up advisory service Rudnowtics with the club's former head of research, Ian Graham. He plans to resign from his position on June 1st.
As part of Edwards' move, Theo Epstein has been reappointed as an advisor to the Boston Red Sox and FSG's growing sports portfolio, a trust with a track record of success in broader, expanded roles. This is another sign of FSG's desire to bring back capable executives.
Edwards has been with Liverpool for over 10 years and is credited with playing a major role in their success, winning the Premier League and Champions League.
He was instrumental in the signing of players such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, and helped build Liverpool's team to the Premier League title in 2019-20. . He also appointed Klopp to replace Brendan Rodgers in 2015.
Hughes' appointment was always dependent on FSG securing Edwards, with the former Scotland international having given notice to the south coast side some time ago and having been linked with multiple suitors since the January transfer window closed. We've had discussions.
Edwards is known to regard Hughes as one of the industry's leading managers, and his move to appoint Andoni Iraola as Bournemouth's head coach in June last year reflected Hughes' qualifications. emphasized.
Why did FSG push Edwards so far?
When Edwards turned down initial approaches about a possible return to Liverpool earlier this year, it's clear why Fenway Sports Group wouldn't take no for an answer.
Senior executives John W. Henry, Tom Warner and Gordon all see Edwards as absolutely vital to the success the club has enjoyed under their ownership, and he will be at Anfield post-Klopp. They were desperate to get him back into the team to shape the era.
Edwards first gained respect for his work as head of performance and analysis after joining Liverpool from Tottenham Hotspur in 2011. Five years later, he was promoted to the role of sporting director and took on a team that won the Champions League and Premier League in 2019. Won the league championship in 2020.
It was Edwards who pushed hard to sign Salah from Roma in 2017, convincing Klopp that he could bring light to the Premier League. He also secured the signings of the transformational duo of Alisson and Van Dijk, as well as bringing in the likes of Mane, Andy Robertson, Fabinho and Ibrahima Konate.
He gained a reputation as a shrewd negotiator and was instrumental in the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in January 2018 for a record £142 million (currently $182 million). It held up. He also secured big paychecks (£26 million, currently $182 million) for fringe stars such as Mamadou Sakho. Crystal Palace), Dominic Solanke (£19m, Bournemouth), Danny Ward (£12.5m, Leicester City), Danny Ings (£20m, Southampton).
Edwards' data-driven approach made FSG's self-sustaining business model work and forged a close bond with FSG President Gordon.
Owners always praised his ability to remove emotion from the decision-making process and the fact that he was never shy about questioning or challenging other senior figures, including Klopp.
They didn't want to lose him in the summer of 2022, when he decided to leave when his contract expired.
Edwards had no interest in returning to his previous job as sporting director, so FSG needed to offer him broader responsibilities and a broader role.
There is a lot of uncertainty for Liverpool this summer, with big changes on the horizon. FSG views Edwards as the perfect candidate to put the right structure and personnel in place to guide the club through its transition period.
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Michael Edwards – The football visionary FSG can't live without.
(John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
