Liverpool Football Club is undergoing a revamp of their football operations department, and one of the key changes is the appointment of David Woodfine as the new assistant sporting director. This comes less than a year after Woodfine left the club in his previous role as director of loan management.
Woodfine’s return to Liverpool was confirmed by reliable journalist Neil Jones, who reported that he will be working alongside Sporting Director Richard Hughes. Woodfine’s previous experience at Liverpool, as well as his longstanding relationship with Michael Edwards, played a role in his reappointment.
Before his previous stint at Liverpool, Woodfine had worked alongside Edwards at Portsmouth from 2005 to 2010. During that time, Hughes was a player at Portsmouth. Woodfine then moved to West Ham before joining Liverpool as the scouting and recruitment coordinator in 2014. He worked his way up to become the director of loan management in 2020 before leaving the position in September 2023.
Woodfine’s role in Liverpool’s recruitment efforts cannot be overlooked. He played a significant part in securing the signing of Luis Diaz ahead of Tottenham. According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Woodfine flew to Argentina with club doctor Jim Moxon to oversee Diaz’s medical while the player was on international duty with Colombia.
Woodfine is not the only new face at Liverpool. The club has also brought in Jansen Moreno as an opposition analyst. Moreno, a Gibraltar native who studied at Liverpool John Moores, previously gained experience with a voluntary placement at the academy in 2010. He will be working alongside head of opposition analysis Greg Mathieson, opposition analyst James French, and post-match and elite player development analyst Daniel Spearritt.
Overall, Liverpool’s decision to bring back David Woodfine as assistant sporting director demonstrates their commitment to revamping their football operations department. With his experience and previous success in recruitment, Woodfine’s return is likely to strengthen the club’s efforts in player acquisitions. Additionally, the addition of Jansen Moreno and other new faces shows that Liverpool is investing in a multidimensional approach to enhance their performance analysis and scouting capabilities. These moves can be seen as a strategic step towards maintaining Liverpool’s status as a top club in English football.