One prominent Liverpool journalist believes that Michael Edwards could possibly have a desire to revive his involvement in football in some capacity.
Upon stepping down as the Reds’ sporting director in 2022, the 44-year-old took a career break before taking on a consultancy role with statistical analysis firm Ludonautics.
In recent weeks he’s been linked with a possible return to Anfield, with LFC needing to recruit for the position he previously held at the club, while also being on the lookout for a new manager to take over from Jurgen Klopp.
Speaking to EOTK Insider, Neil Jones suggested that Edwards could return to the sport, adding that Liverpool will be determined not to let a competitor acquire his services.
The journalist said of the 44-year-old: “I know he’s had offers in the past. I had a brief chat with him when we were in the fan park in Paris [prior to 2022 Champions League final] and I asked him, ‘What’s next?’ He said, ‘What’s next is a very long break’.
“He’s had a very long break, hasn’t he now? It’s coming up to two years since that day, so I wonder whether he’s itching to get back in somewhere, in sport, in a high-level position, or whether he’s just happy with the consultancy, Ludonautics, the company that Ian Graham founded, and living more of a stress-free life.
“But I suspect he will come back into football somewhere, and Liverpool will do what they can to make sure it’s here rather than at one of their rivals.”
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Liverpool’s recent attempts to entice Edwards back to Anfield fell on deaf ears, but it’s believed that they’ll give one last try to persuade him (Fabrizio Romano). If those efforts also prove unsuccessful, FSG could be at a critical juncture.
Do they keep pursuing the man they desperately want, running the risk that time could be squandered in the ongoing search for a new sporting director and manager, or do they admit defeat and leave the door open for rival clubs to possibly poach the 44-year-old?
LFC would be quite right not to let the chase for him peter out easily, but it’s paramount that they can swiftly turn to a Plan B if Edwards simply isn’t for turning.
We suspect that March could be a pivotal month in Liverpool’s efforts to eventually find (and persuade) the right man to fill the void left by Jorg Schmadtke at the end of the January transfer window.