Hughes steps down as Liverpool sporting director
Richard Hughes steps down from his position as sporting director of Liverpool and is set to join Saudi side Al Hilal.
Richard Hughes, Liverpool's sporting director, has resigned his position to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The 47-year-old had only been at Liverpool since June 2024, joining from Bournemouth after a similar role. His contract was due to expire in June 2027. During his tenure at Liverpool, Hughes oversaw a transfer budget of approximately £200m, which included the signing of Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain.
He played a crucial role in the appointment of Arne Slot as manager, who led Liverpool to their 20th Premier League title in his first season. Hughes oversaw record signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz during his time at the club. However, Slot's subsequent failures led to his departure and the appointment of Andoni Iraola, with whom Hughes had previously worked at Bournemouth.
Mike Gordon, president of the Fenway Sports Group, expressed respect for Hughes' personal choices and wished him well in his new venture. Al-Hilal, managed by Simone Inzaghi, spent nearly £180m on Premier League players during the summer transfer window, signing Gabriel Martinelli and Ollie Watkins. The club, known for its ambitious spending, also secured Cyrenscio Summerville from West Ham.
This announcement marks another significant change at Anfield, following the departure of Arne Slot and Michael Edwards, FSG's CEO of football.
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