Julian Ward returns as Liverpool sporting director after Hughes exit
Ward has been promoted from Fenway Sports Group technical director to lead Liverpool’s football operations once again.
Julian Ward has returned as Liverpool sporting director, stepping into the post vacated by Richard Hughes earlier this month.
Familiar figure takes charge
Ward takes up the role immediately after two years as Fenway Sports Group’s technical director, where his remit included player-development pathways and academy oversight.
The 45-year-old is no stranger to the job. He previously served as Liverpool sporting director during the 2022-23 season, having risen through the club’s recruitment structure after joining in 2012 as European scouting manager for Spain and Portugal.
His appointment brings a measure of continuity after a turbulent period in Liverpool’s senior football leadership. Hughes stepped down on 5 September and has since been confirmed as sporting director of Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal.
Backing for Iraola
FSG president Mike Gordon said Ward was the ideal candidate because of his experience across football and his detailed knowledge of Liverpool’s operation.
Ward will lead the football operations department and work alongside head coach Andoni Iraola, who has made a positive start since taking charge. The sporting director’s brief will cover recruitment, squad planning and the wider support structure around the first team.
Liverpool considered candidates beyond the club, but Ward emerged as the preferred choice. His elevation also keeps a senior decision-maker with long-standing knowledge of the club’s scouting network and internal processes at the centre of the project.
A second spell with major decisions ahead
Ward’s first stint included involvement in the arrivals of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Alexis Mac Allister. He also played a key part in Mohamed Salah’s contract renewal in 2022.
His initial tenure was brief: he announced in November 2022 that he would leave at the end of that campaign. After time away from Anfield, he returned in 2024 when Michael Edwards became FSG’s chief executive of football.
The immediate priorities are substantial. Liverpool must settle long-term planning around key senior players whose contracts are due to expire next summer, while Ward will also oversee the club’s next recruitment cycle and continue the push to develop younger talent.
For Liverpool, the decision is a return to a familiar operator rather than another external reset. Ward now has the task of turning that familiarity into stability at a pivotal point for the club.
More on DSN: Salah left out of Egypt trip to South Sudan over artificial pitch, Gabriel Martinelli’s Arsenal Exit Raises Questions After Arteta Snub and Manchester City’s 115 Charges: Reported Findings Put Years of Delay Under the Spotlight.
Our sister site DGBN has also covered why Isak and Wirtz must step up for Liverpool after Salah.
