Michael Hughes has officially stepped down as Liverpool’s sporting director, confirming his move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. The departure marks the latest in a series of high-profile changes at Anfield this offseason, following the managerial shift from Arne Slot to Ruben Amorim and the resignation of former football chief Michael Edwards.
Liverpool are now searching for their fifth sporting director since 2022. The club’s ownership group, FSG, also recently confirmed the sale of a minority stake to Amit Bhatia’s 1892 Holdings, a consortium including Jeff Bezos. The leadership timeline saw Edwards depart in 2022, succeeded by Julian Ward, who was later replaced by Jorg Schmadtke in 2023 before Hughes joined in 2024.
Hughes played a pivotal role during his tenure, notably overseeing the appointment of Arne Slot, who led Liverpool to their second Premier League title. However, Hughes was also part of the decision to dismiss Slot. His legacy is further defined by the club’s record-breaking £415million spending spree in the 2025 summer window, which secured the services of Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak for fees exceeding £100million each.
Hughes had expressed his desire for a new challenge earlier this year, shortly after Edwards’ exit became public. It was agreed he would remain until the end of the transfer window to ensure stability, a move supported by his existing relationship with incoming manager Amorim. Liverpool have verified that Hughes adhered to an agreement restricting him to working solely for the club during this interim period, dispelling speculation that he had already begun duties for Al-Hilal.
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