Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp has kindly outlined exactly how Michael Edwards’ appointment as the club’s Sporting Director is going to affect transfers going forward.
Today, it was announced that Edwards, the former Technical Director, has been promoted – and will now deal with clubs, agents and players in the transfer market – just as Ian Ayre does now.
Naturally, this got fans and the media alike questioning whether our overall structure, transfer wise, has dramatically changed – but the manager told today’s press-conference that is hasn’t really.
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Liverpool’s strategy in the market has been a heavy subject of discussion since the transfer committee was installed and then deconstructed, but just like it was announced when Klopp joined – the boss has the final word.
Here’s what he had to say:
“Transfers are going always the same way, actually. The start is maybe different; whoever brings the player [to the table] – if it’s me, my assistant, the scouting department, Michael or whoever, then we have a lot of things to watch and to talk about and all this stuff. In the end, I will always have the final say. Maybe that’s the most important thing for you to know. If something was wrong since I’ve been here or will be wrong in the future, with transfers, it’s my responsibility. But for all the work we have to do until the player is here, you need a lot of really good people around – and he is a really good person who has done a lot of different jobs in the club. So it’s absolutely natural and absolutely easy to make this decision.”
(Quotes courtesy of the official website.)
So essentially, one of the inner circle, including Edwards, says a player might be a good potential signing. They all analyse said player and then Klopp decides if he wants him or not. Simple as that.
It’s good that Klopp’s taking full responsibility for every signing too, meaning we won’t have an irritating situation like we did with the committee where Brendan Rodgers had ‘his’ transfers and others that were forced upon him.
The future looks red!