Liverpool bring back Julian Ward as sporting director
Liverpool have appointed Julian Ward as their new sporting director. The confirmation came on 26 September 2026, with BBC reporting the move.
Ward replaces Richard Hughes. Hughes held the role for just over two years before leaving in September.
He has done the job before. This is Ward's second stint in charge of Liverpool's transfer business after first doing the job during the 2022-23 season.
A sporting director leads on signings, sales and squad planning, working alongside the manager and the owners. It is one of the most influential jobs at any top club. At Liverpool, it means shaping the squad for the Premier League and the Champions League.
Ward knows the building well. He joined Liverpool in 2012 as European scouting manager for Spain and Portugal. He was promoted to assistant sporting director in 2020 before stepping up to the top job two years later.
He left at the end of that 2022-23 campaign. Reuters reported in November 2022 that he had decided to move on. Liverpool then brought him back in 2024 as technical director for Fenway Sports Group, the club's owners.
The return to the sporting director's chair had been trailed. The Athletic reported on 22 September that Ward was likely to be the prime candidate to replace Hughes. The BBC followed on 24 September with a report that he was expected to take the role.
For fans, this means continuity more than a fresh start. Ward already knows the scouts, the data staff and the way Liverpool like to do deals. Supporters will now watch the next transfer windows to see how he and the manager build the squad together.
