Who Liverpool can hire to replace Richard Hughes as sporting director leaves for Al-Hilal

Liverpool have confirmed that sporting director Richard Hughes has stepped down from his post ahead of his expected move to Al-Hilal.

The 47-year-old took over the role in 2024 following the exit of Jorg Schmadtke, having previously served as technical director at Bournemouth for over a decade.

With Hughes upstairs and Arne Slot on the touchline, Liverpool won the 2024-25 Premier League title, before breaking their transfer record twice in the same summer with the arrivals of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.

However, Liverpool's new signings failed to gel in 2025-26 as the Reds ceded their top-flight title with a whimper, before failing to add a new right-back or central midfielder to their ranks in the summer window just gone.

Liverpool nevertheless negotiated a £123m deal with Paris Saint-Germain for winger Bradley Barcola, but only after Hughes's well-documented move to Al-Hilal had been agreed, and his exit from Anfield was officially announced on Saturday.

Liverpool pay tribute to Richard Hughes as sporting director leaves

Liverpool FC can confirm Richard Hughes has stepped down as sporting director.

Hughes departs with the best wishes of everyone at LFC having informed the club’s ownership of his desire to seek a fresh challenge.https://t.co/I8MG6lmsMN
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) September 5, 2026

"Richard joined us at the start of a period of change, embracing that responsibility by leading our football operations department and overseeing recruitment while also providing valuable support to our coaching staff," Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon told the Liverpool website.

"The results we achieved in these areas during this period are testament to this contribution. Nevertheless, we respect Richard’s life choices and wish him and his family well in their next venture."

Hughes added: "First and foremost, I would like to reiterate what I said upon my arrival – it has been a source of great pride to have been given the opportunity to serve this incredible and unique institution. That is something I will always be grateful for.

“My appreciation extends to ownership for their support and leadership, to club staff at all levels who give so much to make Liverpool FC what it is, to the players who make such an enormous contribution and to the fans who support the team in great numbers whenever and wherever games take place.

“I’ll always follow and support the club with great affection, and I wish everyone involved nothing but success for this season and beyond."

Who can Liverpool hire to replace Richard Hughes?

Liverpool confirmed in the same statement that the process to replace Hughes is underway, and The Athletic reports that internal candidates are currently being looked at over external appointments.

The Reds are understood to be considering Julian Ward, who briefly served as Liverpool's sporting director in 2022-23 and now works as technical director for FSG.

David Woodfine, who was Hughes's assistant sporting director and former head of scouting, and Pedro Marques, director of football development for Liverpool's owners, have also been shortlisted by the club.

Ex-Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion director Jason Ayto is available for hire, as is former Newcastle United chief Paul Mitchell, should the Merseyside giants decide to look further afield.