On a seismic day for Liverpool Football Club, it almost snuck under the radar. But it isn’t just heart of the coaching staff that Fenway Sports Group are in the process of replacing.
The announcement Jorg Schmadtke will leave his post after the transfer window closes on Thursday evening had long been signposted, given his appointment less than 12 months ago was always expected to be a short-term solution after Julian Ward lasted only a year in the role.
But that boss Jurgen Klopp, assistant managers Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz and elite development coach Vitor Matos are also on their way has underlined the importance of making the right appointment during a period when the Reds will seek to limit the inevitable instability in the wake of so many key departures.
FSG have known since November of the overhaul that was incoming, and have been pursuing a succession plan accordingly. But who is most likely in the frame to replace Schmadtke?
Richard Hughes
winner in an FA Cup tie against Liverpool for Portsmouth, is highly respected in recruitment circles and has forged his reputation during a lengthy spell at Bournemouth, where he is currently technical director.
He helped bring Nathan Ake, Callum Wilson and Tyrone Mings to the club before they were moved on at a profit, and bought players such as ex-Reds man Dominic Solanke and one-time Liverpool targets Lloyd Kelly and Alex Scott, as well as being influential in Andoni Iraola becoming manager.
Hughes is well known to Liverpool given the dealings between the clubs in recent years, including a loan move for Nat Phillips. Intriguingly, there was speculation in November that Hughes could leave his role at the Cherries at the end of the season.
Tiago Pinto
Pinto is one name who will most definitely be available after it was confirmed earlier this month he will exit his position as Roma general manager at the end of the current transfer window.
The 39-year-old has spent three years at Roma where he worked alongside Jose Mourinho, with the Serie A side winning the Conference League in 2022 and reaching the Europa League final the following year.
He had previously been at Benfica, where he managed the club’s multisports division between 2012 and 2017 before becoming director of football in 2017. Pinto, who was last year linked with Tottenham Hotspur, will be in demand with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr already reportedly showing an interest.
Tim Steidten
Steidten was only appointed as West Ham United technical director in July but has already impressed with the signing of Mohammed Kudus in particular. There are, though, suggestions he doesn’t have a perfect working relationship with Hammers boss David Moyes.
The 44-year-old former player rose through the ranks at Werder Bremen – for whom he signed Serge Gnabry and took Kevin De Bruyne on loan from Chelsea – and became director of football in 2017 before joining Bayer Leverkusen in 2019, where he recruited players such as Moussa Diaby, Jeremie Frimpong and Piero Hincapie.
Among the other signings he helped secure? Xabi Alonso as manager. The Spaniard, of course, is now among the favourites to replace Klopp as Reds boss.
Michael Edwards
Liverpool haven’t properly filled the void vacated by Edwards when he departed as sporting director in May 2022. Edwards has subsequently been without a club but has remained working in the game, having formed data consultancy Ludonautics with Liverpool’s former director of research Ian Graham. The company is assisting several English clubs at present.
While it would arguably be a no-brainer for Liverpool, Edwards himself has clearly moved on with there being no suggestion he is interested in returning to his old post having served the club with distinction for 11 years.
Paul Mitchell
Mitchell departed his role as Monaco sporting director last summer after three years with the French side. The former player retired aged just 27 in 2009 and has since gained a strong reputation in recruitment, first with MK Dons and then Southampton. He followed then Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham Hotspur in 2014 and later became head of recruitment and development at RB Leipzig.
Working against Mitchell, though, is the fact Liverpool chose not to act on his obvious interest in the sporting director role when it was handed to first Ward and then Schmadtke. He’s also strongly fancied to replace Pinto at Roma.
Sven Mislintat
Mislintat was another who was linked with the Liverpool role ultimately filled by Schmadtke last summer. He started as an analyst at Borussia Dortmund before becoming chief scout, signing the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Shinji Kagawa, Ousmane Dembele and Mats Hummels, who were later mostly sold at a huge profit.
However, he did not prove a success as chief scout at Arsenal and then spent three years as sporting director at Stuttgart while a spell at Ajax as director of football lasted just five months before he was sacked last September. A Liverpool move seems highly unlikely.
