Liverpool have reappointed Julian Ward as their sporting director for a second time, following the departure of Richard Hughes to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. Ward previously held the role during the 2022-23 season and had spent the past two years as technical director for Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the club’s owners. The search for Hughes’s successor was led by FSG president Mike Gordon, who took on more responsibility after Hughes left at the end of the summer transfer window. Ward has worked for Liverpool in various roles over the past 14 years, including European scouting manager, assistant sporting director, and sporting director. His reappointment brings continuity to the club during a period of significant change, with Hughes and Michael Edwards—FSG’s former chief executive of football—both leaving this year. FSG is also in the process of selling a 38% stake in Liverpool to 1892 Holdings for £2 billion. The investment group, led by Amit Bhatia and including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has the option to buy the remaining shares if FSG decides to sell the club fully. Ward initially took over as sporting director in 2022 but stepped down after a few months for personal reasons. During his first tenure, he was involved in the signings of players such as Luis Díaz, Cody Gakpo, Alexis Mac Allister, and Darwin Núñez. However, then manager Jürgen Klopp had more influence over transfer decisions after Edwards left. Despite this, Ward remained highly respected by FSG, and Gordon, who has been overseeing Liverpool’s operations since Hughes’s departure, values his deep understanding of the club and its football strategy. As FSG’s technical director, Ward oversaw the club’s global talent strategy, which has resulted in the signing of several highly rated young players in recent years. In his new role as sporting director, Ward will lead Liverpool’s football operations alongside assistant sporting director David Woodfine, chief scout Barry Hunter, FSG’s director of football development Pedro Marques, and Andoni Iraola’s senior leadership team.