Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s influential sporting director, will leave his post at the end of the season after the club conceded he will not sign a new contract.
Edwards, who worked at Portsmouth and Tottenham before moving to Anfield in November 2011, will be succeeded by his assistant Julian Ward and Liverpool have taken steps to ensure this will be a smooth transition.
Ward is highly-regarded within Anfield, particularly by manager Jurgen Klopp, and had been lined up to one day follow Edwards since he was promoted from his position as loan and pathways manager last December.