Liverpool sporting director: FSG want Michael Edwards to avoid Arsenal problem for Xabi Alonso

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 the running for high-profile managers come the summer.

It’s claimed FSG want the sporting director in place before the new manager as they’re keen to show Alonso, or whomever else, that ‘they would be supported by a robust leadership structure, avoiding problems like those Unai Emery ran into when he succeeded Arsene Wenger at Arsenal’.

It’s thought Emery’s subsequent success at Aston Villa is a clear indication that the problem was with those above him at Arsenal and not the quality of the manager himself.

It was claimed on Thursday that Edwards is ‘considering holding face-to-face talks’ with FSG, but The Athletic report that ‘Edwards’ position has not changed over the last five weeks and there is no indication that it will’, but add that FSG chiefs – John W Henry in particular – ‘retain a curious obsession about bringing him back’.