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Michael Edwards has reportedly resigned from his position as Fenway Sports Group's CEO of soccer, dealing another blow to Liverpool's organizational framework.
According to The Athletic, Edwards, who rejoined the FSG setup in 2024 following a distinguished 11-year association with Liverpool's recruitment operations, expressed his intention to leave as early as autumn 2025 and will now exit with one year remaining on his contract.
No successor for Edwards is anticipated, with FSG president Mike Gordon instead set to assume oversight of soccer operations.
Why Is Edwards Leaving Liverpool?
Edwards is widely regarded as the architect behind Liverpool's squad transformation under Jürgen Klopp, securing the signings of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Virgil van Dijk to construct a side that went on to claim both the Premier League and Champions League titles.
He departed his role in 2022 and, despite receiving numerous approaches from competing clubs, established a consultancy firm, before being persuaded to rejoin the FSG structure in a position largely built around overseeing a multi-club model.
Around the time of Edwards's return, FSG were actively pursuing the acquisition of another European club to complement Liverpool. French side Bordeaux and Spanish clubs Malaga and Getafe were all publicly considered, but none of the deals came to fruition and the initiative was shelved earlier this year.
Consequently, the central pillar of Edwards's role was effectively removed. While his wish to leave may have emerged before the multi-club plans were officially put on hold, he was likely informed of FSG's internal direction well ahead of any public announcement.
Edwards did hold additional responsibilities at Liverpool, including playing a key role in appointing Richard Hughes as sporting director. It has been emphasized that the Reds were reluctant to lose Edwards, who is expected to attract considerable interest following his exit from Anfield.
Whether Edwards has any interest in joining another club remains unclear.
The Other Exit Impacting Liverpool
Edwards is not the only prominent figure heading for the exit at Liverpool, as the Reds are also set to lose sporting director Hughes later this year.
Hughes will stay on at Liverpool through the summer transfer window before departing for a role with Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, where former Bournemouth executive Simon Francis serves as technical director.
While Edwards's departure may not be directly felt by supporters, Hughes's imminent exit will have a considerable impact on Liverpool's day-to-day operations. He is currently collaborating with new manager Andoni Iraola to strengthen the squad this summer, but Liverpool will soon be operating under a new recruitment chief.
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The turbulence behind the scenes may help explain Liverpool's sluggish start to the transfer window. Winger Víctor Muñoz has arrived from Osasuna, but the Reds continue to chase several additional reinforcements, most notably a replacement for Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool are expected to begin their search for a new sporting director in the coming weeks, with the aim of allowing any incoming appointment to work alongside Hughes briefly to ease the transition.