Will Michael Edwards’ Liverpool return have an impact on Jurgen Klopp?
A look at his new role at the club.
Transcript
00:00 I'm joined by Will Rooney of Liverpool World to discuss all things Liverpool and Everton.
00:06 Will, let's start with Liverpool and the breaking news of Michael Edwards making his return to the club.
00:11 What will this mean for Liverpool?
00:13 Does it mean much for the likes of Jurgen Klopp, possibly trying to stay at the club?
00:18 Or is that sort of far gone now?
00:21 Yeah, it's not actually, I don't think it's specifically come back to Liverpool.
00:26 He's taken up a role at FSG, effectively as head of football operations.
00:31 So effectively he's the top dog when it comes to football because it looks like FSG are going to try and expand their portfolio.
00:38 I mean, they've been doing it in other sports, bought the Pittsburgh Penguins a couple of years ago.
00:43 And the NHL, they've got involved in the PGA Tour and they're very much in growth mode.
00:48 And maybe now they're covered to becoming a multi-club ownership really in the Umbrella, where they can develop players.
00:57 Obviously the likes of Manchester City have done it, Chelsea as well.
01:01 So it's interesting. I mean, it's a bit of a coup for Liverpool, to be honest with you.
01:06 I think when Michael Edwards left, what would it have been two years ago when he left?
01:11 The fans are thinking, well, is this not quite the beginning of the end?
01:16 The Gaten Klopp was always there, but this is a major blow.
01:19 It's obviously garnered a massive reputation at Liverpool, some of the signs and the deals.
01:26 He's broken, not just bringing players in, but selling players as well and really maximising deals and new contracts, etc.
01:33 Persuading people, helping players to say when you think maybe they might look and move to, say, Barcelona or Real Madrid.
01:40 Liverpool, for the most part, have kept all of the players. The only one they sold was Philip Coutinho.
01:46 He was in his prime and look what that did for Liverpool.
01:50 So it's a massive boost for Liverpool. It means they've got real clarity now.
01:54 There was a bit of uncertainty over the structure of the club, obviously, of Jadon Klopp leaving.
02:03 There's been a bit of an overhaul in the sport and director syntax was left because Julian Moore's only left a year.
02:09 Schmack had come in in the interim for six months after Liverpool got through the summer.
02:16 The director of research, Ian Graham, also left the club.
02:21 So you're looking at that department and you're thinking, "There's a bit thin."
02:24 But now they've got Edwards in, the next will be a sports director.
02:29 It looks like Richard Hughes has left Bournemouth as the front-runner to land that role.
02:36 Then it will be a point of manager. It comes back to the question, could it persuade Jadon Klopp to stay?
02:41 I don't quite know. I don't think so. I think Jadon Klopp is ready to leave.
02:47 He wants to have a break, but Jadon Klopp will be leaving Liverpool.
02:51 I'm a lot happier that Michael Edwards is back. He has a really good working relationship with him.
02:57 You look at the players they brought in together, Mo Salah, Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson, to name a few.
03:09 Virgil van Dijk, I'm sure, will feel like he's leaving Liverpool in a lot better place with Michael Edwards back at the club in a big capacity.
03:20 All eyes now are on who's going to become the sports director and ultimately become manager.
03:26 Xabi Alonso is very much the front-runner in that one. Let's see now what happens there.