Michael Edwards told first three Liverpool deals he must make, as new Reds CEO labelled ‘genius’

Former Liverpool CEO Peter Moore has sung the praises of Michael Edwards and revealed what the returning Anfield chief must do first to ensure the Reds are successful.

Liverpool have struggled without transfer mastermind Edwards since he left his role as sporting director in June 2022, with neither of his replacements – Julian Ward and Jorg Schmadtke – lasting long. Luckily for the Merseyside giants, they have managed to get Edwards to return.

However, the 44-year-old has no intention of being a sporting director again, so Fenway Sports Group have instead made him their new CEO of football operations. FSG told Edwards that as part of their agreement, a new club will be acquired and that he will look after both teams.

Edwards is expected to appoint former Bournemouth chief Richard Hughes as Liverpool’s new sporting director. Hughes will then take charge of finding Jurgen Klopp’s managerial replacement, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso the most likely solution.

Moore, who was Liverpool’s CEO between June 2017 and August 2020, has now heaped praise on Edwards.

“Analytical genius. The ability to look at data and then look at the players. This is why I bring up the Dave Fallows and the Barry Hunters, it’s one thing looking at data but you need boots on the ground and eyes on the pitch,” Moore said on talkSPORT.

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“It takes a village to do this and Michael built that team, these guys came from Man City if you recall but he goes all the way back down to his Portsmouth days [2003 to 2009].

“It looks like Richard Hughes will come from Bournemouth, so you’re bringing back again a team that can support whoever this manager is going to be.

Michael Edwards return eases Liverpool ‘panic’

“That makes both internally, all the employees that work at the football club feel a little better about where we’re at, and then the hundreds of millions of fans around the world feel a little better that well maybe things are going to be alright.

“Because you remember, the day after Jurgen announced [he was leaving] it was full-scale panic.”

Moore then urged Edwards to sort out the contract situations regarding Mo Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk. As things stand, all three of those top-class stars are due to become free agents in the summer of 2025.

“Let’s not forget, you’ve got Virgil and you’ve got Trent, you’ve got Mo on contracts that are expiring,” he continued. “Whoever comes in, and Michael will be front and centre of this, has got to get those deals done pretty quickly.

“Or not, but you don’t need the Saudis circling again so you want to be able to lock these players down. You think about the veteran experience there, and I’m calling Trent a veteran.

“Tied with the academy kids coming through, you’ve got a squad that you can build around as a new manager coming in.

“But you want your captain to be tied down, you want your global superstar Mohamed to be tied down, and you want your local Scouser from West Derby to be tied down, those are the three players that are up for bids.”

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