FSG has hired Michael Edwards, and plans are underway to succeed Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. In a perfect scenario, the following few months would look like this.
The confirmation on Tuesday that Michael Edwards had accepted a position at FSG was intriguing for a variety of reasons. For starters, it will have a significant impact on Liverpool, as the best in class has returned to the building.
Edwards has a track record at Anfield, therefore FSG made a strong push to him. It appears that Richard Hughes, a man Edwards knows well, will become Liverpool‘s new sporting director, and there will, of course, be a new manager when Jürgen Klopp goes in the summer.
The trio of new hires will have a large in-tray of tasks. It remains to be seen who will accept each one, but we do know that the FSG aim is for Edwards to find another football club to purchase and run alongside Liverpool.
Hughes, if appointed as the new sporting director, will be in control of day-to-day operations at Liverpool, including transfer discussions. Identifying targets has always been a team effort.
However, there will be a lot to sort out over the next few months. In a perfect world, Liverpool.com has compiled a list of what will happen over the next few months, during which much will change off the pitch at Anfield.
Liverpool has signed new contracts for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk, who will be out of contract in 2025, leaving little time for extension negotiations. That should be an immediate priority.
Alexander-Arnold certainly has a lot of time left in his career. Salah and Van Dijk, however, are significantly older than him but still have a lot to offer. Ideally, all three could sign new contracts, with the older duo having shorter term extensions than Alexander-Arnold.
Right decision on Xabi Alonso
Most people believe that Xabi Alonso is an ideal fit for Liverpool. However, those in control must determine whether his work at Bayer Leverkusen has sufficient data to show that it can translate.
Alonso has performed wonders with a team that has never won the Bundesliga before, and it appears they will go on to win the league title. However, Liverpool should investigate other prospects with a longer track record of top-tier performance.
Alonso is currently the most popular choice to succeed Klopp. It will be up to Edwards and Liverpool to evaluate if that is what they also believe with the help of far with more complex data.
Once that decision is decided, a pitch can be presented to him while staying respectful of Leverkusen‘s title charge. That pitch has become quite apparent since the Edwards and sporting director structures were established.
Summer transfer plans lined up.
If Hughes is appointed as the new sporting director, even if he will remain at Bournemouth until the end of the season, Liverpool will be able to plan for the summer ahead. Big changes are unnecessary and undesirable.
With a new head coach coming in, it makes more sense for Liverpool to have greater stability on the pitch in terms of personnel, which is why new contracts for key players are crucial.
The squad is strong and young enough to avoid major surgery, but additional players would be beneficial. Adding a center-back, especially if Joël Matip leaves, and a midfielder, even if Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajčetić return, would be beneficial.
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