Michael Edwards could help form exciting new Liverpool for FSG as one ‘condition’ set for return

FSG, the ownership company of Liverpool, isn’t giving up on convincing Michael Edwards, the previous sporting director, to return to Anfield in the summer. However, there is currently no assurance that the Reds’ pitch will be successful.

Edwards was the first person to occupy the position of sporting director at Liverpool. Julian Ward took over for a season before leaving the club in 2022, following him for over ten years. As soon as it became known that Jürgen Klopp would be leaving at the end of the season, Jörg Schmadtke, who was always going to be a temporary appointment, left at the end of January.

Should Edwards resurface in a more senior capacity, he would do so as the founder of the data consulting firm Ludonautics. He’s already declined the opportunity once, but there must have been some slack in the door for a follow-up.

Why would Liverpool want to get him back so badly? It makes sense in several ways. For starters, Edwards’ prior work would seem to indicate that he fits the description of the best in class, which is what Liverpool is looking for in its next appointment, just as it is with the Klopp replacement.

But Edwards is more than that; he is a knowledgeable individual about Liverpool. Even if Edwards has been gone for a few years, it makes sense to maintain as much continuity as possible during a time of transition for the team, when a new manager will participate in preseason training for the first time since 2016.

The greatest Klopp replacement might then be found with the help of the former sporting director of the Reds, should he be enticed back. Liverpool is searching for the best candidate for that position using data-driven methods, but it also makes sense to have the rest of the organisation in place before that, ideally with Edwards included.

It makes sense that the team that they will communicate with is set up in advance, regardless of who arrives during the summer—Xabi Alonso, Roberto De Zerbi, Rúben Amorim, or anyone else. Edwards leading the team under the direction of a dynamic new head coach would undoubtedly be a desirable scenario, but he is not the only choice.

As to The Telegraph, Edwards would only return if he were to demand’more control’ over football operations. What precisely that might mean is unknown. It seems sense that during his fruitful tenure at Anfield, Klopp’s influence rose, but the article implies that this may not be the case for them right now as a new manager takes over.

The ‘parameters’ of Edwards’ prospective new position would differ from the previous sporting director function. It is possible that the structure will change slightly to accommodate different job descriptions based on the names that are eventually submitted.

It is not difficult to see, however, why he would be a candidate worth chasing. Considering Edwards’ stance on being content with his current role, it would be quite a coup.