Arsenal
Liverpool owners FSG are still gunning for Michael Edwards as they believe the club’s former sporting director will create the best atmosphere for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement at Anfield to thrive.
Edwards left Liverpool in 2022 after more than decade at the club, starting as an analyst and spending the last six years as the club’s sporting director.
He was influential in the club’s success under Jurgen Klopp, negotiating deals for Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho and Alisson, while also managing to secure significant transfer fees for players Klopp deemed surplus to requirements like Christian Benteke, Mamadou Sakho and Jordon Ibe.
Mike Gordon, the president of FSG, reportedly phoned Edwards shortly after Klopp announced his impending departure, offering him the chance to either come back to Anfield or take up a senior position with FSG. Edwards rejected that proposal, but a report on Thursday claimed the American owners ‘want to be absolutely sure that Edwards cannot be persuaded to return before moving onto other targets’.
It’s been claimed that one method of persuading Edwards to return would be to ensure him that the role would involve more power and scope than it did by the point he left, when Klopp’s standing at the club was such that he was the dominant voice in any conversation.
But The Athletic claim that the increased responsibility second time around was never in doubt given Edwards’ previous success, and because the new sporting director is being charged with leading the search for Klopp’s replacement.
To that end, time is of the essence. Xabi Alonso is widely reported to be their top target, but is also wanted by Bayern Munich, and other big Premier League teams could also be in
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