Not just a stats man with a laptop – Why Michael Edwards’ return is a coup for Liverpool

When Liverpool’s former sporting director Michael Edwards announced his Anfield departure with a 1,965 word farewell letter in 2022, he emphasised the need for change. As Jürgen Klopp exits stage left, there is a temptation to see Edwards re-emerging through the Shankly Gates on his chariot, waving datasheets on the best under 21 players in the world to ensure the legacy of the post-2015 renaissance remains intact. Gordon will remain part of the FSG board, and Edwards will answer to them, but the returning executive is effectively becoming Liverpool’s next Peter Robinson – the legend who oversaw the great Kop transitions from Shankly to Paisley to Fagan to Dalglish. The next sporting director, now presumed to be Richard Hughes, will answer to Edwards, whose broader portfolio as a CEO of Football guarantees that his career has the replenishment he sought when saying two years ago that ‘I’ve always looked ahead’.