According to reports, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have decided to ‘let’ two ‘fan favourites’ leave Liverpool in the summer.
Edwards had been without a club since leaving Liverpool in 2022 but he has returned to the Premier League club as FSG’s CEO of football.
It has since been confirmed that Edwards will be joined at Liverpool by current AFC Bournemouth technical director Richard Hughes.
Edwards and Hughes will have some big decisions to make ahead of this summer’s transfer window and their priority will be to identify Jurgen Klopp‘s replacement.
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is currently the overwhelming favourite to replace Klopp but they are facing competition from Bayern Munich for his signature.
Liverpool have already won the Carabao Cup and they remain in contention for the Premier League and Europa League, but several players are expected to leave in the summer.
Football Insider are reporting that Edwards and Hughes are ‘planning to let two fan favourites leave’, with Joel Matip and Thiago expected to follow backup goalkeeper Adrian in departing. The report explains.
‘Liverpool are planning to let Joel Matip, Thiago Alcantara and Adrian leave the club at the end of the season, sources have told Football Insider.
‘Matip, 32, Thiago, 32, and Adrian, 37, are all out of contract in June and the Reds have no plans to offer them extensions.
‘The Reds’ owners’ new CEO of Football Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, who will become the new sporting director at the end of the season, are content with letting the trio depart.
‘It is believed that Jurgen Klopp could have helped the stars stay but the new regime won’t allow it, with Football Insider revealing (9 March) that a point of difference between Edwards, during his first spell at the club, and the manager was over the length of contracts handed to ageing players.’
The futures of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also in doubt as their contracts are due to expire in 2025.
But according to talkSPORT, Liverpool have been provided a Van Dijk ‘contract boost’. Their report explains.
‘Liverpool are hopeful the return of Michael Edwards will help convince Virgil van Dijk to commit his future to the club.
‘Van Dijk dropped a strong hint that he was stalling on signing a new contract in the immediate aftermath of Jurgen Klopp’s bombshell announcement he was standing down as manager.
‘Getting the Dutchman tied down is one of Edwards’ and newly-appointed sporting director Richard Hughes’ first major assignments.
‘Edwards, who has been tasked by owners FSG with overseeing the post-Klopp era as chief executive of football, played a key role in signing Van Dijk from Southampton during his first stint on Merseyside and the pair are said to have a strong relationship.’
