Liverpool FC Sporting Director Search: Hughes Departs for Saudi 2026

Key Points

• Richard Hughes has officially resigned from his post as sporting director at Liverpool, having served for over two years
• It is reported that Richard Hughes is joining Al-Hilal, who play in Saudi Pro League, in an executive role similar to his former job, confirmed by the club on 5 September 2026
• It is the third sporting director that Liverpool look to replace in four years’ time, as Michael Edwards (2022), Julian Ward, Jörg Schmadtke and now Richard Hughes have all left the club
• The search for a replacement will be carried out by the FSG president Mike Gordon with internal candidates being Julian Ward, Pedro Marques and David Woodfine
• Hughes has been in charge of the summer transfers of Bradley Barcola (£123m), Alexander Isak (£125m) and Florian Wirtz (£116m)
• According to the club, no approval was granted to the sporting director to work for other clubs during his last months at Liverpool
• This news comes right after Michael Edwards resignation from his position as the FSG’s CEO of Football

Liverpool Sports (Liverpool standard) September 05, 2026 – Liverpool Football Club have confirmed the departure of sporting director Richard Hughes, who is leaving Anfield to take up a similar role with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The announcement, made on Saturday 5 September 2026, marks the beginning of yet another search for a new sporting director at the Premier League club, with Hughes becoming the fourth person to hold the position since Michael Edwards stepped down in 2022.

Who is Richard Hughes and what was his role at Liverpool?

Richard Hughes, 47, joined Liverpool in June 2024 from AFC Bournemouth, where he had served as sporting director and built a close working relationship with then-head coach Andoni Iraola. His appointment came in the aftermath of Jürgen Klopp’s departure as manager, and he was tasked with leading the club’s football rebuild under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group (FSG).

During his tenure, Hughes played a pivotal role in two major managerial appointments. As reported by James Pearce of The Athletic, Hughes was instrumental in the selection of Arne Slot as Klopp’s successor, with the Dutchman going on to win the Premier League in his first season at the club. Following Slot’s departure after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign that saw Liverpool finish fifth, Hughes was again central to the recruitment process that brought Andoni Iraola to Anfield.

On the transfer front, Hughes oversaw significant investment in the squad. According to the BBC, he managed a spending spree of approximately £200 million during the summer 2026 window, including the club-record £123 million signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris Saint-Germain. Other marquee acquisitions during his time included Alexander Isak (£125m) and Florian Wirtz (£116m), though critics have questioned whether the focus on big-money signings came at the expense of squad depth.

In a statement released by Liverpool, Hughes said:

“First and foremost, I would like to reiterate what I said upon my arrival — it has been a source of great pride to have been given the opportunity to serve this incredible and unique institution. That is something I will always be grateful for”.

He added:

“My appreciation extends to ownership for their support and leadership, to club staff at all levels who give so much to make Liverpool FC what it is, to the players who make such an enormous contribution and to the fans who support the team in great numbers whenever and wherever games take place”.

Mike Gordon, president of FSG, said in response:

“We respect Richard’s decision and wish him and his family well in their next venture”.

Why is Liverpool searching for a fourth sporting director in four years?

As reported by David Lynch of the Liverpool Echo, Liverpool are now embarking on a search for their fourth sporting director in four years, a situation that has raised questions about stability within the club’s football operations. The revolving door in the position began when Michael Edwards, the long-serving and highly-regarded sporting director, stepped down from the role in 2022.

Edwards was succeeded by Julian Ward, who held the position from June 2022 until February 2023 before departing the club. Jörg Schmadtke then took over but lasted only until June 2023, leaving the position vacant for a year before Hughes was appointed in June 2024. Hughes’ departure after just over two years means Liverpool will now be seeking their fourth permanent sporting director since Edwards’ original exit.

The Guardian noted that Hughes informed Liverpool of his intention to leave earlier this year, following the departure of his close friend Michael Edwards as chief executive of football for FSG. Edwards had returned to the club in a senior executive role in 2025 but exited again in summer 2026, with reports suggesting his departure was a factor in Hughes’ decision to move on.

Who are the candidates to replace Richard Hughes?

The search for Hughes’ successor is being led by FSG president Mike Gordon, who resumed day-to-day oversight of the club’s football operations following Edwards’ exit. According to Neil Jones of This Is Anfield, Liverpool are expected to consider internal candidates for the role, though an external appointment has not been ruled out.

Three internal candidates have been identified as probable contenders:

• Julian Ward, who currently serves as technical director for FSG and previously held the sporting director position at Liverpool from 2022-23
• Pedro Marques, FSG’s director of football development, who has been with the organisation in a senior football operations capacity
• David Woodfine, the current assistant sporting director at Liverpool, who has worked under Hughes and has extensive experience within the club’s recruitment structure

As reported by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the club’s football structure will otherwise remain intact, with chief scout Barry Hunter and the senior leadership team at the AXA Training Centre continuing in their roles. This continuity is intended to provide stability during the transition period while the search for a permanent replacement is conducted.

Did Richard Hughes work for Al-Hilal before leaving Liverpool?

Speculation about Hughes’ potential conflict of interest emerged during the summer transfer window, with several reports suggesting he may have been juggling responsibilities for both Liverpool and Al-Hilal before his official departure. As reported by Romain Molina, the journalist claimed that Hughes had “already been overseeing this summer transfer window for the Saudi club” while still employed at Anfield.

Molina further alleged that Hughes had been “juggling both clubs a bit this summer”, a claim that drew criticism from some within the football industry who viewed it as a potential conflict of interest. The reporter also suggested that Hughes had played a role in Al-Hilal’s summer recruitment, which included high-profile signings such as Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal (£60m), Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa (£51m), and Emerson Palmieri from West Ham (£60m).

However, Liverpool have firmly rejected these suggestions. As reported by James Pearce of The Athletic, the club stated that no approach was received from Al-Hilal for Hughes to start work with them during the summer, and they are satisfied that the sporting director worked for Liverpool alone throughout this period. Sources told ESPN that at no point was permission sought or offered for Hughes to work for another club during his final months at Anfield an agreement Liverpool believe was upheld despite speculation to the contrary.

What is the timeline for appointing a new sporting director?

With the summer transfer window now closed, Liverpool have begun the process of identifying Hughes’ replacement, though no specific timeline has been announced for the appointment. The club’s immediate priority is to ensure continuity in football operations, with existing senior staff members continuing to oversee strategy and recruitment in the interim.

Mike Gordon’s leadership of the search process signals FSG’s direct involvement in the appointment, reflecting the importance the ownership places on getting the right candidate in place. The club’s statement indicated that Hughes departed with the best wishes of everyone at Liverpool, having informed the ownership of his desire to pursue a new challenge.

Al-Hilal, meanwhile, are expected to formally unveil Hughes in the coming days, with the Saudi club having invested heavily in Premier League talent during the summer window. The club is currently managed by former Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi and has assembled a squad featuring numerous high-profile players from Europe’s top leagues.

Background of the Liverpool sporting director development

The sporting director position at Liverpool has been a source of instability since Michael Edwards’ original departure in 2022. Edwards, who had served in various capacities at the club since 2011, was widely credited with building the squad that won the Premier League in 2019-20 and the Champions League in 2018-19. His decision to step down created a vacuum that the club has struggled to fill effectively.

Julian Ward’s tenure from June 2022 to February 2023 was brief, with the former Liverpool player departing after less than a year in the role. Jörg Schmadtke, the former Wolfsburg sporting director, was appointed as his successor but lasted only until June 2023, leaving the position vacant for 12 months before Hughes’ appointment.

Hughes arrived at Anfield with a strong reputation from his time at Bournemouth, where he had worked closely with Andoni Iraola during the 2023-24 season. His appointment was seen as a coup for Liverpool, particularly given his relationship with Iraola, who would later become head coach at Anfield. However, his tenure was always expected to be limited, with reports suggesting he had informed the club of his intention to leave earlier in 2026.

The departure of Michael Edwards from his FSG executive role in summer 2026 appears to have been a catalyst for Hughes’ exit, with the two having worked closely together during Edwards’ second stint at the club. Edwards’ departure marked another significant change in Liverpool’s football hierarchy, with Mike Gordon resuming direct oversight of football operations.

Prediction: How will this development affect Liverpool FC and their supporters?

The departure of Richard Hughes and the ongoing search for a new sporting director will have significant implications for Liverpool FC across multiple dimensions. For the club’s football operations, the appointment of a fifth sporting director in five years risks perpetuating a cycle of instability that could undermine long-term strategic planning and recruitment consistency.

For Liverpool supporters, the frequent turnover in the sporting director position may raise concerns about the club’s ability to maintain a coherent football philosophy and recruitment strategy. As noted by The Guardian, the search for a fourth sporting director in four years highlights a structural issue that has yet to be resolved since Edwards’ original departure. Fans may worry that the lack of continuity could affect the club’s ability to compete consistently at the highest level, particularly in the transfer market where relationships and long-term planning are crucial.

From a competitive standpoint, the impact will depend largely on the quality and longevity of the next appointment. If Liverpool can identify a candidate who shares the club’s values and is prepared to commit long-term, the transition could be managed effectively, particularly given the continuity provided by existing senior staff such as Julian Ward, Pedro Marques and Barry Hunter. However, if the search results in another short-term appointment, the club risks falling behind rivals who have established more stable football hierarchies.

For the broader Premier League landscape, Hughes’ move to Al-Hilal represents another example of Saudi Pro League clubs attracting senior executives from Europe’s top leagues, a trend that has accelerated since the 2023 arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia. This development could have implications for how Premier League clubs structure their contracts and manage relationships with Middle Eastern clubs in future.

Ultimately, the success of this transition will be measured by Liverpool’s ability to maintain competitive performance on the pitch while establishing a stable and effective football operation off it. The appointment of Andoni Iraola as head coach, combined with the significant investment in players such as Barcola, Isak and Wirtz, suggests the club has ambitious plans for the coming seasons. Whether the next sporting director can help deliver on those ambitions remains to be seen.