Julian Ward is set to return as Liverpool’s sporting director after three years.
Ward previously held the role for a single season in 2022/23 but had already communicated his intention to leave just six months after taking the reins.
The 45-year-old had previously served as deputy sporting director to Michael Edwards, who left that summer as well as vacating a second role this year.
He oversaw the signings of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo while being credited with being influential in the Reds’ pursuit of Alexis Mac Allister prior to his departure.
Ward returned to Merseyside in a wider role as technical director for Fenway Sports Group as they pursued what proved to be a failed plan for a multi-club ownership.
Liverpool have assessed a number of internal and external candidates to fill the sporting director role following Richard Hughes’ exit at the beginning of this month.
Contact was made with Brentford technical director Lee Dykes as a viable option but Anfield chiefs ultimately chose to make another in-house appointment in Ward.
The homegrown executive is still highly regarded by FSG, whose president Mike Gordon has been leading the search for Hughes’ successor as sporting director.