‘Close’ – Liverpool chief in ‘advanced talks’ for next move as timeline for exit revealed
According to reports, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is now ‘close’ to securing a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Despite bringing in Andoni Iraola to replace former head coach Arne Slot, there is still a lot of uncertainty at Liverpool heading into next season.
Slot was initially expected to remain at Liverpool after their dire 2025/26 campaign, but club chiefs made a U-turn on his future in a ‘landscape shift’ for four reasons.
Had Slot remained at Anfield, he would have entered the final year of his contract, which only runs until 2027.
Sporting director Hughes and FSG Head of Football Michael Edwards are also due to be out of contract in 2027, and reports have suggested that at least one of them is likely to leave Liverpool in the coming months.
READ: Andoni Iraola backed to make ‘seven’ new signings at Liverpool as ‘major issues’ emerge
Hughes to follow Slot in leaving Liverpool
It has been widely reported that Hughes has played a key role in Liverpool appointing Iraola after they previously worked together at Bournemouth, but journalist Sacha Tavolieri claims he is ‘close’ to joining Al-Hilal.
Hughes has been heavily linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League side over recent months, and it was prematurely reported in March that a deal is already ‘agreed’.
Now, though, Tavolieri claims a deal is ‘close’ for Hughes to join Al-Hilal and their ‘plan’ is for him to take over after leading Liverpool’s transfer activity this summer.
READ MORE: Nunez ‘wants to return’ to Liverpool on free transfer as Reds, Alonso ‘position themselves’
Tavolieri said on X: ‘EXCL- Richard Hughes close to Al Hilal!
‘Liverpool FC’s current sporting director is in advanced talks with Saudi officials to become Al Hilal’s new sporting director.
‘Saudi plan’s for Hughes is to let him work on the Reds’ next window before beginning a potential move. Wait&See.’
Earlier this month, former Premier League chief executive Keith Wyness argued that there has been a “disagreement” between Hughes and other club chiefs over sacking Slot.
Wyness claimed: ”They decided late in the season on the Slot issue that they were going to have to make a move; they’re now finding themselves picking Iraola because he’s available. Is that really the right way to have gone and picked a manager?
“It could have been a bit of undue haste that they may wish to repent on later on. I’m not entirely convinced that Iraola is the one that they’ve been hunting all season. I think that would have been much clearer, and it would have been labelled earlier.
“There are some question marks, I think internally. I think there’s been a little bit of disagreement between Richard Hughes and the others at the top of Liverpool and as to how they’re going to approach it.
“Iraola is available, and it’s been done quickly, but as I say that brings up a question mark in my mind as to whether he really was the one that they really wanted.”
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