Despite having immense influence at the club, Edwards is keen for a new opportunity at the end of the season. The likes of Newcastle and RB Leipzig have been mentioned as potential destinations, though it is believed nothing is lined up. Given the need for the Reds to spend big to rejuvenate a squad reaching the end of its era, though, some fans will naturally be worried about what this exit means for the long-term future of the club.
Given Klopp is set to leave in 2024, and reports that he is unhappy with the spending and the structure of the club, this is another red flag. While Reds fans got to enjoy a 5-0 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford, results and performances since have been mixed. So, too, has the mood around the club; many report that Klopp, and others, are not as happy as one would expect.
And with the Mo Salah contract situation beginning to drag on, and other stars like Sadio Mane set to be out of contract in 2023, the Klopp era could be set for a definitive change. Edwards leaving, though, is seen as a major worry.
Julian Ward is set to replace Edwards, likely moving up from his role as an assistant sporting director.
Why is Michael Edwards moving on from Liverpool?
At the moment, it is hard to say definitively the reason. What is known is that the ownership group at Liverpool, FSG, made repeated contract offers to try and convince Edwards to stick around. The confusing thing for fans will be that with so many reports of other offers, Edwards is not lined up to take on a new project anywhere just yet.
It does leave a black hole in the support structure for Klopp and co. though. It means that one of the most important figures at the club will be leaving, when it had been hoped he would form part of a decades-long dynasty at the club. Now, Reds fans will have to hope that Ward can follow a similar career trajectory to that of Edwards.
Ward comes with a history of working in the analytics department of the likes of Manchester City and the Portuguese national football team. He played for the likes of Morecambe as a player, and worked as a scouting manager for the Reds before moving into a loan management role.
His overhaul of the Reds loans system seen him take the assistant role to Edwards. Now, he will be expected to succeed a man credited with playing a gargantuan role in the re-establishment of Liverpool as a competitive club.
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