According to reports from Saudi Arabia, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has reached an ‘agreement’ to take on a similar role with a club in the Middle Eastern country from the summer of 2026.
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The Scot took up his current position at Anfield two years ago after leaving Bournemouth, overseeing almost £450m worth of new signings in last summer’s transfer window whilst also brokering contract extensions for Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Gravenberch in the past 12 months.
However, if fresh claims which have emerged over the last 24 hours are to be believed, the 46-year-old mightn’t be at LFC for much longer.
Al-Hilal reportedly reach ‘agreement’ with Hughes
On Monday night, Saudi Arabian journalist Ahmed Al-Ajlan took to X to report that Al-Hilal have reached an ‘agreement’ with Hughes to take on the sporting director role with the Riyadh-based club.
It’s claimed that both parties have agreed terms for the move and a contract is merely awaiting to be signed. The current Liverpool chief is purportedly set to begin working with the Saudi Pro League outfit immediately ahead of offically ‘starting his duties’ in the summer.
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Could Liverpool soon need another new sporting director?
The first thing we’ll state is that this story is to be taken with a pinch of salt for now unless it’s corroborated by top-tier sources closer to Merseyside, so we’d advise against jumping the gun just yet.
However, the same Saudi Arabian course did report last Halloween (via X) that Al-Hilal were in ‘advanced negotiations’ to try and recruit Hughes, so it’d appear that this latest rumour hasn’t emerged completely out of the blue.
If there is substance to it and the 46-year-old is genuinely considering an exit from Liverpool for the Saudi club, it’d continue the trend of instability in the sporting director role at Anfield, which has seen multiple changes over the past four years.
Since Michael Edwards’ departure from that position in 2022 after six years in the job, Julian Ward and Jorg Schmadtke both came and went in the space of 20 months before the appointment of Hughes.
| Liverpool sporting directors since 2016 | From | To |
| Michael Edwards | November 2016 | June 2022 |
| Julian Ward | June 2022 | May 2023 |
| Jorg Schmadtke | June 2023 | January 2024 |
| Richard Hughes | June 2024 | present |
The incumbent has received criticism from some corners of the LFC fan base over his performance in the role since arriving from Bournemouth, although it wouldn’t be the most ideal scenario for FSG to be left needing yet another successor less than three months out from the summer transfer window.
Let’s see if any top-tier sources corroborate these initial reports in the meantime.
Good. Enough damage Hughes has done last summer. Slot next.
Hopefully FSG will be planning for the post Slot era with Hughes replaced by someone who can help the new manager build a squad, not just spend millions on ‘names’.
Is Liverpool the only football club with such a structure? If yes, just wondering why no other clubs adopted this. This is a transparent approach for owners who know nothing about football example fsg. Is it working or not? I still think managers are still managers. You cannot simply just coach without control over transfers.
I don’t think he’ll be missed to be honest. He may have spent a lot of money, but he went overboard selling players, you can’t expect the squad to be strong when you sell some good squad players, Eliotte, amongst them, the loss of Jota was a great loss too.
When you spend 450 million you have to get most of the signings right. FSG wouldn’t have been happy with the way this season has panned out. 21 points behind Arsenal. Let’s go through every signing.
Success or failure.
Leoni 27 million for a young defender who’s never going to be ready for the premier league. He gets injured in his first game against palace out for the season and won’t be back for a long time. Failure.
Liverpool should have paid the 35 million for marc guehi when the transfer window opened, experienced premier league player a bargain for 35 million. Ended up going to Manchester city because of the failures of Richard Hughes.
Frimpong you have to question why another lightweight player was bought, and why they thought he can be a cover for Salah at right winger. Failure.
Kirkez another very lightweight player bought because of Hughes connections with Bournemouth. Hasn’t been good enough, didn’t replace tsimikas or Robertson. Failure
Wirtz another lightweight player who’s disrupted the midfield. Slot has to accommodate him either on the wing where he’s ineffective or he has to change the system. Technically good at times but it’s made us even weaker without the ball in a physical premier league. Failure.
Isak he looked so good for Newcastle last season but playing in a system that was direct getting the ball forward quickly. He’s never got going at Liverpool never been fully fit through injuries and niggles. Now there must be serious doubts over whether he will ever get back to the form he showed last season. Failure
Ekitike has been brilliant from day one, pace direct and he can finish. He’s going to get better. The only good signing of the 450 million.
It’s why Richard Hughes must go . Failure 370 million of it.
You know now fsgcomplete fully totally want to up for sale on Liverpool FC at March 2026 maybe before this summer 2026?