Liverpool have confirmed the return of Julian Ward as the club’s new sporting director, marking another major development in the Reds’ football operations.
Ward takes up the position with immediate effect after most recently serving as technical director for Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s ownership group.
The appointment also represents a return to familiar territory for Ward, whose relationship with Liverpool stretches back more than 14 years.
The 44-year-old first joined Liverpool’s football operation in 2012, initially working across scouting, recruitment and player development. Before arriving at Anfield, he gained experience in both club and international football with Manchester City and the Portugal national team.
Ward quickly established himself within Liverpool’s recruitment structure and went on to occupy several senior strategic positions. His previous roles included European scouting manager and director of loan player management.
He later became assistant sporting director before taking over as Liverpool’s sporting director earlier this decade. Ward eventually stepped away from the position in 2023.
Now back at the heart of Liverpool’s football structure, Ward will lead the club’s football operations while working alongside head coach Andoni Iraola and the wider staff across the club.
FSG president Mike Gordon welcomed the decision, pointing to Ward’s extensive knowledge of both the modern football industry and Liverpool itself.
“We are delighted that Julian has agreed to take over leadership of our football operations department at this juncture, primarily because it is a role for which we believe he is the ideal candidate given his extensive experience of the football industry in general and Liverpool Football Club in particular.
“The knowledge and expertise he brings will only enhance our football operations, while also ensuring Andoni [Iraola] is provided with the support he requires as he continues to make such a positive impression as head coach.
“Julian’s appointment also represents the continuation of a long-standing relationship which has always served Liverpool well, and we very much look forward to the next stage in its development.”
Ward expressed his excitement at returning to a senior leadership position at the club and acknowledged the responsibility that comes with the role.
“I am incredibly excited to take on this role and it goes without saying that I am hugely grateful for the trust that has been placed in me by ownership.
“Having been part of Liverpool’s football operation for more than a decade, I have a full appreciation and first-hand knowledge of the challenge that comes with the position, as well as a clear understanding of the demands and ambitions of this great club.
“This is an exciting period for Liverpool – on and off the pitch – in which change and opportunity go hand in hand, but at the same time the culture, values and principles that have underpinned the club for so long remain as strong as ever.
“As a football club, we will continue to create an environment that maximises performance while promoting the continued development of our players and our people.
“In Andoni, together with the wider team of staff across the AXA Training Centre, the Academy and AXA Melwood, we have the expertise, talent and conditions required to keep driving the club forward.
“Building on these strong foundations and the work overseen by our football operations in recent seasons is both a huge responsibility and a privilege.”
Ward’s return gives Liverpool a familiar figure to oversee recruitment, player development and the broader football structure as the club enters a new phase under Iraola.
His previous experience at Anfield, combined with his work at FSG, means the new sporting director already understands the club’s internal structure, recruitment philosophy and expectations.
The immediate task will be to strengthen the football operation and provide Iraola with the support required to build on his early work as Liverpool head coach.
For Ward, meanwhile, the appointment represents a return to a club where he has already spent more than a decade helping shape its football strategy.
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