Fabrizio Romano has named one man who Liverpool have as a ‘strong candidate’ to assume a role within the Anfield boardroom amid the search for a new sporting director.
That role is vacant following the exit of Jorg Schmadtke at the end of the January transfer window, and Bournemouth will also be hiring for a similar position after they confirmed that Richard Hughes will depart as their technical director at the end of this season.
The news comes amid the 44-year-old being linked with a possible move to Merseyside, although it hasn’t been made clear whether that’ll be in the same capacity as the job he had at the Vitality Stadium.
Romano posted on X on Wednesday morning: “Richard Hughes remains strong candidate for role in Liverpool new board. Interest still there since months ago; now he’s confirmed plan to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season. It will depend on other appointments in #LFC structure but Hughes is on club’s list.”
🔴 Richard Hughes remains strong candidate for role in Liverpool new board. Interest still there since months ago; now he's confirmed plan to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season.
It will depend on other appointments in #LFC structure but Hughes is on club's list. pic.twitter.com/qwaRfLL660
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 6, 2024
Since becoming Bournemouth’s technical director in 2016, Hughes has overseen the most expensive signings in the club’s history, including the £19m purchase of Dominic Solanke from Liverpool and the club-record £25m acquisition of Jefferson Lerma.
The English striker has gone down as one of the Cherries’ best pieces of business, with 72 goals in 204 games so far (Transfermarkt), while the 44-year-old also helped the south coast outfit to reap a tidy profit on Nathan Ake after he was sold to Manchester City for £41m in 2020.
Milos Kerkez, Alex Scott and Antoine Semenyo stand out as other clever signings under Hughes, although Bournemouth have had no luck with the two priciest arrivals of last summer, Tyler Adams (long-term injury) and Hamed Traore (hospitalised with malaria, now on loan at Napoli).
It remains to be seen what exact job title Liverpool have in mind for Hughes, but it definitely seems as if he’s impressed FSG with his work at the Vitality Stadium, and his impending exit from the Cherries hints that he may have a new role already lined up, or at least in mind.