Liverpool Sporting Director Candidates: Who Will Lead the Club’s Transfer Strategy?
Liverpool Football Club is in the midst of a search for a new sporting director, a position that is just as crucial as finding a new manager. While the hunt for Jurgen Klopp’s successor has been making headlines, the search for a sporting director has been relatively low-key. However, there are several candidates in the running for the role.
One of the top contenders is Tim Steidten, who currently serves as the technical director at West Ham. Liverpool had previously approached Steidten last summer, but he declined the offer to work under Klopp. With the landscape now changing, it remains to be seen if Steidten’s stance has shifted. The 44-year-old has an impressive track record, having been credited with the appointment of Xabi Alonso during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
Another potential candidate is Simon Rolfes, who is currently the managing director of sport at Bayer Leverkusen. Rolfes recently expressed his belief that Alonso would stay at Leverkusen beyond this season, highlighting their successful working relationship. However, Liverpool could potentially poach Rolfes and Alonso in one fell swoop, as Rolfes has been gaining recognition for his work as a sporting director.
Paul Mitchell, a 42-year-old with experience at Southampton, Tottenham, RB Leipzig, and Monaco, is another candidate who was previously considered by Liverpool. Mitchell left his position with Monaco in October and has since remained out of work. There is speculation that he would prefer to stay in the north-west region of England.
Two domestic-based options for the sporting director role are Richard Hughes, the technical director at Bournemouth, and Monchi, the president of football operations at Aston Villa. Hughes was reported as a primary candidate by BBC Sport last month, while Monchi has an impressive track record at Sevilla and is currently undertaking a major rebuild at Aston Villa.
Other names that have been loosely linked to the position include Tiago Pinto, who recently resigned from his role at Roma, and Michael Zorc, the former director of football at Dortmund. Pinto, known for his work at Benfica, is yet to determine his next move, while Zorc is currently out of football after a long career at Dortmund.
At present, the most likely candidates for the sporting director role at Liverpool seem to be Tim Steidten and Richard Hughes. With Liverpool’s major rebuild underway, it is crucial for the club to make an appointment sooner rather than later. The decision over who will lead Liverpool’s transfer strategy moving forward will be a significant one, and fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement.