I will admit it straight away. There was absolutely no chance I was staying up until 2.30am for a pre season friendly. That is well beyond my bedtime on a school night. Instead, the alarm went off at 6am, the coffee was poured and Liverpool’s 1,0 victory over Wrexham became breakfast viewing.

Having watched it back in full, one thing quickly became clear. The result was almost irrelevant.

This was never going to be a classic. The surface made sure of that. It looked slow, heavy and uneven, draining any rhythm from the game before either side had the opportunity to establish one. Every attack felt laboured, every passing move required an extra touch, and neither team was ever likely to produce flowing football in those conditions.

That does not mean the game lacked value.

Youngsters Continue to Answer Questions

Pre season is rarely about performances in isolation. It is about identifying who is adapting to new demands, who looks comfortable stepping up and who is beginning to convince the manager that they deserve to stay around the first team.

For me, Trey Nyoni once again enhanced his growing reputation.

There is a calmness to everything he does that belies his age. He constantly shows for the ball, he rarely looks rushed and he already appears to understand exactly what Andoni Iraola wants from his midfielders. Progressive passing, intelligent positioning and composure under pressure all stood out again.

Alongside him, Ifeanyi Ndukwe continued to impress. There is an authority to his defending that you simply cannot teach. His physical presence immediately catches the eye, but it is his composure that leaves the stronger impression.

Luke Chambers deserves similar praise. His versatility alone gives him value, but his defensive display and quality in possession suggested there is much more to him than simply being someone who can cover two positions.

Perspective Needed Around Ngumoha

Rio Ngumoha will probably dominate the post match debate.

Some supporters felt his experiment on the right wing simply did not work. Others were encouraged that Liverpool are already exploring ways of broadening his game should Bradley Barcola arrive and reshape the attacking options.

The truth probably sits somewhere in the middle.

It certainly was not Ngumoha’s sharpest display. Operating from the right looked less natural and he was often crowded out by defenders. Even so, writing off the experiment after 45 minutes feels premature. Young players only become complete footballers by being exposed to unfamiliar situations and different tactical demands.

He still produced the decisive moment. Yes, the finish took a significant deflection, but he placed himself in the position to make something happen.

Development has never been a straight line.

Szoboszlai Sets the Standard

If one player looked comfortably above the level of the occasion, it was Dominik Szoboszlai.

His intensity never dipped, his pressing remained relentless and his quality on the ball continually lifted Liverpool whenever the game threatened to drift. Even in a match filled with academy players and unfamiliar combinations, he looked like the footballer setting the tempo and the standards around him.

Those are qualities every successful side needs, particularly during periods of transition.

Forget the Score, Watch the Progress

Pre season always encourages overreaction.

One outstanding performance becomes proof that someone should start the opening Premier League match. One quiet outing suddenly becomes evidence that another player has no future.

I prefer looking for patterns.

Liverpool looked more organised without the ball than they did in their opening friendly. The pressing already appears more coordinated. Several academy players continue to demonstrate they belong around the first team environment, and there remains plenty of quality still to return over the coming days.

It was hardly a memorable spectacle and nobody will be replaying this match for entertainment.

As an early checkpoint in Andoni Iraola’s evolution of this Liverpool side, however, it offered enough encouragement to make that 6am alarm feel worthwhile.

When the first reports emerged suggesting Liverpool could spend somewhere close to £100 million on Bradley Barcola, my immediate reaction was probably the same as thousands of other supporters.

Absolutely not.

It felt ridiculous. It felt excessive. More than anything, it felt like another reminder that football’s transfer market has drifted so far away from reality that supporters are now expected to accept nine figure fees as though they are perfectly ordinary. There was a time when those sums were reserved for generational talents at the absolute peak of their powers. Now they are increasingly attached to players still approaching their best years.

The more I thought about it, however, the more I realised my initial reaction had very little to do with Bradley Barcola.

It was about the market itself.

Football’s New Reality

I hate what football’s transfer market has become.

That is probably not a fashionable opinion in an era where every transfer window seems determined to shatter another financial ceiling. Every summer another record falls, another eye watering fee becomes normalised and another generation of supporters grows accustomed to numbers that would once have dominated headlines for months. We watched £30 million become £50 million, then £80 million, and now the conversation casually begins around £100 million whenever one of Europe’s brightest young attackers becomes available.

It is difficult not to feel that football has lost its sense of proportion.

For clubs fortunate enough to possess unlimited wealth, perhaps those figures barely register. For supporters, however, they remain staggering. They represent sums that most people will never truly comprehend, and there is nothing unreasonable about feeling uncomfortable when a single footballer carries a valuation that would once have purchased an entire squad.

I still feel that discomfort.

If somebody asked me whether any player should cost £100 million, my answer would almost certainly be no. Football has created an economy that often feels detached from common sense, fuelled by television money, state ownership, commercial growth and a relentless inflation that shows no signs of slowing. In an ideal world, the market would look very different.

The problem is that Liverpool do not recruit players in an ideal world.

They recruit within the market that actually exists.

That distinction is important because too many transfer debates become trapped in nostalgia. We remember Liverpool assembling one of the greatest attacking trios English football has ever seen without spending astronomical sums on every individual. We remember identifying players before everyone else appreciated quite how good they were. Intelligent recruitment became part of the club’s identity, allowing Liverpool to compete with wealthier rivals through smarter decision making rather than greater spending.

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Speaking in his press conference in Chicago Andoni Iraola made it clear Liverpool are lacking depth in the defensive department, particularly on the right side.

With an injury to Conor Bradley, the departure of Ibrahima Konate and a very fragile Joe Gomez on top of a Jeremie Frimpong, who it is moot whether or not he is seen as a right-back at this stage, Liverpool need a reinforcement in that area.

Iraola alluded to the solution being a hybrid profile. Someone who can cover both the centre-back and right-back roles – a successor to Gomez – so to speak.

We’ve decided to take a look at a few players who fit that criteria and who could be on Liverpool’s radar.

Josh Acheampong Could Be Liverpool’s Next Chelsea Success Story

Two years ago, the Chelsea defender was already on Liverpool’s radar. At the time, Acheampong decided to extend his contract with the Blues but now there’s a serious possibility he could be moving on.

Chelsea are reinforcing in both the right-back and right-sided centre-back department by moving to sign Maxence Lacroix and Marco Palestra.

This given Chelsea’s depth in both departments does free up a move for Acheampong. He’s 20-years-old and he is ready to play regularly in the Premier League.

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There was a fresh face in the dugout, a new chapter beginning, and by the final whistle Liverpool supporters had plenty to be encouraged about.

Andoni Iraola’s first game in charge ended in a 4-2 victory over Sunderland in Nashville, although the scoreline only tells part of the story. This was a performance that showed flashes of what the Spaniard wants from his side, energetic pressing, quick combinations and attacking intent, while also highlighting the work still to be done before the Premier League season begins.

Preseason results should always be treated with caution, but there was enough on display to leave Reds fans optimistic.

Morrison writes his name into the history books

Every new managerial era has its first goalscorer.

That honour belongs to Kieran Morrison, who capped off a superb flowing Liverpool move after just 13 minutes. The build up was arguably the highlight of the afternoon, with James McConnell, Rio Ngumoha and Harvey Elliott combining brilliantly before Morrison calmly slotted beyond the Sunderland goalkeeper.

It was exactly the type of football Iraola will want to see more of.

Fast, direct, technically sharp and full of movement.

For the youngster, it was another reminder that Liverpool’s academy continues to produce players capable of making an impression whenever given the opportunity.

Sunderland expose some early rust

Liverpool’s bright start was interrupted when Sunderland punished a costly mistake.

James McConnell lost possession deep inside his own half, allowing Enzo Le Fée to drive forward before unleashing an unstoppable strike from distance to level the match.

Things became more difficult immediately after the interval when Jeremie Frimpong was dispossessed, gifting Sunderland another opportunity which Aleksandar Tuterov converted to give the Black Cats a surprise lead.

Those moments will certainly provide Iraola with valuable material for the training ground.

Liverpool looked sharp going forward, but defensive concentration and ball retention clearly remain areas that require further work.

Szoboszlai changes everything

If there was one moment that truly lifted Liverpool into another gear, it came courtesy of Dominik Szoboszlai.

After excellent work down the left involving Lewis Koumas and Milos Kerkez, Sunderland only managed a partial clearance. The Hungarian international needed no second invitation, smashing an unstoppable volley into the top corner from the edge of the area.

It was a goal worthy of winning any match.

From that point onwards, Liverpool looked far more confident and began to dominate proceedings.

Strength in depth begins to shine

One of the most encouraging aspects of the afternoon was the contribution made by those introduced from the bench.

Federico Chiesa put Liverpool ahead with an excellent finish from a tight angle after being played through by Ramsey, showing the composure supporters know he possesses.

Lewis Koumas then rounded off the scoring five minutes from time after another Sunderland mistake. Szoboszlai provided the assist and the Welsh youngster finished confidently to seal a deserved victory.

Preseason is often about squad depth just as much as starting elevens, and Liverpool’s substitutes made a genuine impact.

The Joe Gomez concern

The only real sour note arrived inside the opening ten minutes.

Joe Gomez, captaining the side, was forced off with what appeared to be a muscle injury.

Given Liverpool’s current situation at centre back, it is far from ideal.

With Ibrahima Konaté having departed earlier this summer, Giovanni Leoni continuing his recovery from a serious knee injury and new signing Jeremy Jacquet also unavailable, Iraola will be hoping Gomez’s latest setback proves to be only a minor one.

Speaking after the match, the new Liverpool boss admitted it was the biggest disappointment of the evening.

He acknowledged there were plenty of aspects still needing improvement after only a few weeks of preparation, but admitted losing Gomez so early was the worst news to come from an otherwise positive afternoon.

Plenty to build on

No manager should be judged on a preseason friendly.

Equally, there were plenty of encouraging signs for Liverpool supporters to take away from Nashville.

The pressing was aggressive at times, several young players looked capable of contributing this season, the squad responded impressively after falling behind and there were moments of genuine attacking quality throughout the game.

Iraola himself admitted there is “a lot to correct”, but that is precisely what preseason is designed for.

Liverpool’s American tour now continues with fixtures against Wrexham and Leeds before returning to Anfield to face Monaco and Como.

This was only the first step.

But it was a positive one.

The Iraola era is officially underway, and if Liverpool continue to build on what they showed in Nashville, supporters will have every reason to be excited about what lies ahead.

Liverpool FC won’t be sold today. That’s the first fact worth holding onto.

Fenway Sports Group remain in control. Talks over a minority investment are still at an early stage. Jeff Bezos has reportedly been approached about joining a consortium led by Amit Bhatia. No agreement has been signed, no transfer budget has suddenly multiplied and no billionaire has arrived at Anfield carrying limitless wealth.

Yet something has changed.

Sometimes football stories are significant because of what has happened. Others matter because of what they suggest. This feels firmly in the second category.

The proposed investment, the reported valuation and, above all, the calibre of names being linked to Liverpool all point towards something bigger than another routine corporate transaction. Whether this process concludes in six months or six years almost becomes secondary. It feels like the club is entering the final chapter of Fenway Sports Group’s ownership, even if the final page has not yet been written.

That is not criticism.

It is simply recognising how investment works.

FSG purchased Liverpool for around £300 million in 2010. They inherited an institution staring into the abyss after years of catastrophic ownership. Sixteen years later they preside over a football club valued somewhere between £4.5 billion and £6 billion, depending on whose figures you believe.

That represents one of the greatest returns in modern sport.

Investment groups do not create that level of value simply to admire it forever. Eventually, value has to be realised.

A minority investment achieves several objectives at once. It crystallises a market valuation. It introduces potential long term partners. It provides liquidity. It can also quietly establish a pathway towards future ownership without forcing either side into an immediate sale.

That is why I believe this deserves far more attention than simply asking whether Jeff Bezos might one day sit in the directors’ box.

This could be the beginning of the end for FSG.

FSG Have Reached Their Natural Ceiling

There is a temptation among parts of Liverpool’s support to frame every ownership discussion as either unwavering praise or relentless criticism.

Reality sits somewhere between those positions.

FSG have transformed Liverpool.

They appointed outstanding football executives. They empowered elite recruitment. They built a world class training complex, expanded Anfield and restored Liverpool to the summit of English and European football. They backed managerial appointments that delivered every major trophy available.

Their stewardship deserves enormous credit.

Yet football refuses to stand still.

The model that elevated Liverpool to the top has become increasingly difficult to sustain.

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There’s a temptation to see the reported sale of a minority stake in Liverpool as little more than another financial transaction. I think it deserves a broader lens.

Football has changed. Profit and Sustainability Rules have made it far harder for owners to simply pour limitless wealth into clubs, while the transfer market has continued its relentless climb. When a player like Crysencio Summerville can reportedly command a fee of around €80 million, the economics of the elite game are moving faster than even the wealthiest investors can comfortably justify.

FSG have always been disciplined custodians. They bought Liverpool for £300 million, transformed the club on and off the pitch, expanded Anfield, built a world-class training ground and, if reports are accurate, have now helped create a business valued at around £4.5 billion. That is an extraordinary return over 16 years, exactly the kind of growth that attracts investment funds and exactly the kind of moment when investors begin to consider realising those gains.

If this Amit Bhatia minority investment goes through, I wouldn’t be surprised if history eventually views it as the first chapter of an orderly exit rather than an isolated deal. Not tomorrow, probably not even next year, but most certainly over the coming years.

That doesn’t have to be bad news. Football is entering an era where sustainability alone may no longer be enough to keep pace with rivals operating in an increasingly inflated market. Fresh capital, fresh ideas and, eventually, fresh ownership may prove to be the natural next step in Liverpool’s evolution.

For now, it’s only a minority investment under discussion. Yet sometimes the smallest moves quietly reshape the future.

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Looking at the squad Andoni Iraola inherited at Liverpool, midfield is probably the area where there are the least concerns.

Right now, the club’s two pillars Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai are both on long-term contracts.

Sure, it is moot whether Alexis Mac Allister or Curtis Jones will extend their deals, or whether they will depart for pastures new this summer.

However, at the very least there is no urgency in that department to strengthen the squad – not like in the defence and the attack, where Liverpool are already short of depth without anyone departing.

Most importantly, another factor why Liverpool will have fewer concerns about the midfield is because of Trey Nyoni.

It was a frustrating season for Nyoni under Arne Slot, he was criminally underused, despite always making a good impression when on the pitch.

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There are certain names in football that instantly evoke memories of an era, a feeling and a connection that goes far beyond trophies. Kevin Keegan was one of those rare figures. His passing at the age of 75 is desperately sad news for Liverpool supporters, England fans and football lovers everywhere.

For many, Keegan represented the rise of Liverpool into a dominant force in both English and European football. Signed by Bill Shankly in 1971, he became one of the driving forces behind a side that would shape the club’s identity for generations. His relentless energy, fearless approach and ability to deliver on the biggest occasions made him an instant favourite on the Kop.

Success followed throughout his time at Anfield. Three league titles, an FA Cup, two UEFA Cups and the European Cup formed part of an extraordinary collection of honours. Individually, his achievements were equally remarkable, becoming a back to back Ballon d’Or winner in 1978 and 1979, recognition that placed him among the very finest footballers of his generation.

His family confirmed that Keegan passed away after battling stage four cancer, surrounded by his wife and daughters. In a statement they said:

“It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75.”

“The former England player and manager had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.”

“Kevin, a double Ballon D’or winner, was a much loved husband, father and grandfather. The family would like to thank Kevin’s incredible medical team for all their support. This is a hugely difficult time and they are requesting space and privacy.”

Although Liverpool is where Keegan became a legend, his influence stretched far beyond Merseyside. He earned 63 England caps, captained his country and later stepped into management, leading England as well as Newcastle United, Fulham and Manchester City. His Newcastle side of the mid 1990s captured the imagination with fearless attacking football and remains one of the Premier League’s most memorable teams.

Football has lost one of its great characters, a player who combined talent with tireless commitment and infectious enthusiasm. Liverpool has lost one of its greatest ever servants, while the wider football community has lost a genuine icon whose impact will be remembered for generations.

Everyone at Liverpool, and across the football world, will join together in sending heartfelt condolences to Kevin Keegan’s family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. His achievements will always be celebrated, and his place in Liverpool history will remain secure forever.

I’ve said all year that if Liverpool couldn’t secure Dominik Szoboszlai to a new contract this summer, then they should try to sell him with the two years left on his current deal. We’ve lived through the pain of watching elite talent drift towards the end of their contracts before. Trent went, Konaté followed, and nobody wanted another saga hanging over the club.

The fact that Liverpool have never seriously considered cashing in tells you everything. They clearly believed he would commit, and that’s exactly why you don’t panic. You back your judgement, you do the work behind the scenes, and you reward a player who has earned it.

Some will inevitably complain that he’s now joining the club’s top wage bracket. Those same voices would’ve been the first to ask how Liverpool allowed one of Europe’s best midfielders to walk away for nothing in two years’ time. You cannot demand the club keep its best players while objecting every time the bill arrives.

On the pitch, this feels like a natural progression. Szoboszlai has developed into Liverpool’s heartbeat. The work rate, the quality, the responsibility, they’re all there. I would be amazed if he isn’t named vice-captain in the near future, and when Virgil van Dijk eventually steps aside, I think he’ll be the leading candidate to become the next permanent skipper.

Do I think he’s perfect? No. At times, he can seem detached from the average supporter. The fashion, the tone-deaf socials and the occasional shrug towards fans can create that impression. Then again, modern footballers live in a world few of us can truly understand. Judging them by everyday standards is easier than appreciating the environment in which they exist.

Liverpool needed certainty. When this deal is announced later today, they’ve secured exactly that.

There is something about Richard Hughes that has never quite sat right with me.

That probably sounds unfair. Football supporters are perfectly capable of taking against people for irrational reasons. Sometimes personalities simply fail to connect. Yet after watching Hughes’ time at Liverpool unfold, reading every briefing, following every transfer window and listening to the constant praise surrounding his work, I have arrived at a conclusion that extends far beyond whether I think he has been a good sporting director.

Richard Hughes has come to embody everything I dislike about the modern game.

That is not entirely his fault. Football has changed dramatically over the past decade. Managers have become head coaches. Owners have become portfolio managers. Recruitment departments resemble investment firms. Sporting directors have evolved into the most influential people inside clubs despite many supporters having only the vaguest idea what they actually do.

They exist in a curious space. When a signing succeeds, credit quietly flows to them. When a manager lifts a trophy, they are praised for making the appointment. When recruitment departments are admired, they receive another pat on the back. Yet when things begin to unravel, responsibility suddenly becomes much harder to locate. There is always another explanation, another layer of complexity, another reminder that supporters simply cannot appreciate the work happening behind closed doors.

I have never been entirely comfortable with that.

Football is complicated. Nobody sensible believes a sporting director spends all day negotiating transfer fees before disappearing into the sunset. The role stretches across contracts, succession planning, recruitment, staffing, academy pathways and creating continuity between ownership and the coaching staff. It is one of the most demanding jobs in football.

That wider remit should make scrutiny greater, not smaller.

Instead, sporting directors have somehow become mythical figures. Their reputations often seem built upon whispers rather than evidence, reputation rather than accountability. We are forever told that rival clubs admire them, that executives across Europe speak glowingly about their work, that they are quietly transforming football clubs from within.

Perhaps they are.

Supporters, however, can only judge what they see.

When Richard Hughes arrived at Liverpool, the club had just emerged from one of the most successful periods in its modern history. Replacing Jürgen Klopp was arguably the most significant executive decision Fenway Sports Group had faced since appointing him almost a decade earlier. Hughes inherited an extraordinarily difficult brief, one that deserved patience and understanding.

He also inherited an outstanding football club.

Liverpool possessed world class players throughout the spine of the team. The club remained financially healthy. Recruitment structures were already established. Michael Edwards had returned to oversee football operations and there appeared to be a coherent plan behind the scenes.

That plan feels far less convincing today.

The conversation has gradually shifted from optimism towards uncertainty. Every few weeks another significant issue seems to emerge. Contracts drift uncomfortably close to expiry. Transfer priorities appear to change. Liverpool miss targets that once felt attainable. Senior figures prepare to leave before projects feel complete. Supporters are repeatedly asked to trust the process despite finding it increasingly difficult to identify exactly what that process is.

Perhaps none of those issues can be laid solely at Hughes’ door.

Collectively, however, they define his tenure.

Football clubs rarely decline because of one catastrophic decision. More often they lose their edge through a succession of smaller compromises. Standards slip almost imperceptibly. Recruitment becomes fractionally less effective. Planning becomes marginally less proactive. Contract situations become slightly more awkward. Before long, supporters begin discussing another rebuild despite feeling as though the previous one never truly ended.

That is where Liverpool appear to find themselves.

The frustrating part is that much of the discussion surrounding Hughes has focused almost entirely upon transfers. Did Liverpool overpay here? Should they have pursued somebody else? Was missing out on one target avoidable?

Those debates matter.

They also miss the bigger picture.

The greatest sporting directors create stability. They establish a football department capable of surviving managerial change, ownership uncertainty and inevitable disappointments in the transfer market. The strongest organisations feel calm because every significant decision appears connected to a long term vision.

I am struggling to identify that vision at Liverpool.

Even the managerial transition illustrates the point.

Arne Slot required one type of squad. Andoni Iraola demands something rather different. One coach preferred control through possession, the other wants relentless aggression without the ball. Those philosophical differences inevitably require alterations to the playing staff, meaning another period of significant recruitment barely twelve months after Liverpool appeared settled.

That may prove worthwhile.

It does not necessarily reflect organisational clarity.

Supporters can forgive mistakes. Football is impossible to perfect.

They struggle to forgive confusion.

Which brings me to the issue I simply cannot shake.

Forget recruitment for a moment.

Forget contracts.

Forget transfer fees.

Think instead about what Liverpool Football Club should represent.

For generations the club has prided itself upon connection. Between supporters and players. Between managers and the city. Between those making decisions and those living with their consequences. Liverpool has always felt different because it demanded complete commitment from the people fortunate enough to represent it.

Modern football increasingly seems determined to remove that connection.

Executives move between clubs with remarkable speed. Ownership groups discuss football institutions in the same language used for financial assets. Multi club ownership transforms community organisations into pieces of a much larger corporate strategy. Everything feels cleaner, smarter and infinitely more efficient.

It also feels colder.

Richard Hughes has become the face of that evolution.

Not because he created it.

Because he represents it.

And nowhere is that more obvious than in the way he has chosen to do the job.

Perhaps I am old fashioned.

Perhaps I place too much importance on symbolism.

Yet I have never understood how the sporting director of Liverpool Football Club could choose to remain living on the south coast. I appreciate football has changed. Technology allows meetings to happen anywhere. Recruitment takes place across continents rather than counties. Nobody expects the club’s senior executives to clock in at Melwood every morning before grabbing lunch in the city centre.

That is not really the point.

Liverpool is unlike most football clubs because the city itself matters. It shapes the institution. It shapes expectations. It shapes relationships. Supporters have always valued people who immerse themselves in the environment rather than merely working within it. The greatest figures associated with the club understood that representing Liverpool involved more than carrying a business card with the crest printed across the top.

Hughes never gave me that impression.

Every supporter will draw their own line. Some will quite rightly argue that where a sporting director sleeps has absolutely no bearing on whether he negotiates a transfer successfully. That is a perfectly reasonable opinion. For me, though, it became another reminder that football increasingly resembles every other corporate industry. The executive flies in, chairs the meetings, signs the paperwork and flies home again. Efficient? Probably. Romantic? Certainly not.

Then came the Saudi Arabia reports.

Again, I find myself returning to optics rather than legality.

Liverpool are preparing for another hugely important season. There are obvious holes within the squad. Several significant contracts continue to demand attention. Another recruitment drive remains unfinished. Yet the man charged with overseeing much of that work already appears to have one eye fixed firmly on his next destination.

Perhaps he remains completely professional. I have no reason to suggest otherwise. Professionalism has never really been my concern.

Commitment has.

Football supporters invest emotionally in their clubs. They expect the people making the biggest decisions to do likewise. Finding out that Liverpool’s sporting director is already preparing for life elsewhere inevitably raises uncomfortable questions, regardless of whether those questions are entirely fair.

What puzzles me even more is the destination itself.

Leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or perhaps even the Premier League’s biggest rivals would sting, but there would at least be an obvious sporting logic behind it. They are institutions that compete for the highest honours in world football. Success there strengthens your reputation because the standards remain unforgiving.

Saudi Arabia feels different.

Nobody can deny the financial rewards. They are extraordinary. Hughes may never need to work another day after a few seasons there. I would never criticise somebody for securing their family’s future.

Professionally, however, I struggle to understand what such a move proves.

How does running recruitment with effectively unlimited financial backing enhance your standing among Europe’s elite clubs? How does dominating a league whose economic landscape bears little resemblance to the Premier League demonstrate that you are one of football’s outstanding executives?

If anything, it feels like stepping away from the hardest examination available.

For somebody whose reputation has been built around operating at the very highest level, that surprises me.

Perhaps that feeling exists because I have never fully bought into the mythology surrounding sporting directors.

Football has reached a point where executives sometimes receive greater protection than managers. Every unsuccessful transfer comes with mitigating circumstances. Every failed negotiation has hidden complexities. Every difficult contract is apparently somebody else’s responsibility.

Eventually there comes a point where responsibility has to settle somewhere.

Liverpool have repeatedly found themselves reacting rather than dictating. The contract situation has remained untidy. Recruitment has felt inconsistent. The squad still appears incomplete despite significant spending. The title-winning Head Coach Hughes appointed, Arne Slot, was finally and rightfully sacked. Michael Edwards, the man who recruited Hughes, has already departed. Viewed individually, each exit can be explained away. Viewed together, they paint a less flattering picture.

That is why I cannot simply dismiss criticism as impatience.

Football supporters are entitled to judge the direction of travel.

History may yet prove Richard Hughes to have been an excellent sporting director. Florian Wirtz could become one of Liverpool’s greatest ever signings. Alexander Isak may fire the club towards another Premier League title. Young players like Leoni, Jacquet and Kerkez, recruited during Hughes’ tenure, could form the backbone of the next great side. If that happens, I will happily acknowledge it.

But history also remembers atmosphere.

It remembers confidence.

It remembers whether a football club felt united behind a common purpose.

Liverpool no longer gives me that feeling.

Perhaps the greatest disappointment is that Hughes arrived with every opportunity to become one of the defining figures of Liverpool’s next chapter. Instead, he leaves me thinking less about the football decisions themselves and more about what his tenure symbolises. A sporting director who never appeared fully rooted in the club, who seems ready to exchange one of world football’s greatest institutions for extraordinary wealth, and who has presided over a period that has often felt uncertain rather than assured.

For me, that represents far more than one executive’s career choices.

It reflects the direction football continues to travel.

Maybe I simply preferred the game when the people running clubs looked as though they belonged to them.

Maybe that makes me hopelessly nostalgic.

Or maybe Liverpool should expect more from the people entrusted with protecting everything that has always made the club special.

Even before Steven Gerrard had hung up his boots, there had persisted a phenomena at Anfield to label whoever exhibited even the tiniest amount of traits similar to Liverpool’s no.8 as his second coming.

Jay Spearing, Jordan Rossiter and countless others suffered from these unfair comparisons.

The truth is no one is likely ever going to live up to Gerrard’s name. He is one of the greatest Liverpool players who will likely ever play for the club.

But there is something really interesting happening at Liverpool’s academy right now.

There’s a player who at least might be able to live up to the comparisons, a player who has the closest resemblance to Gerrard yet.

Why Liverpool Believe Luca Eden Is a Special Talent

It’s very rare that Liverpool hand debuts to 15-years-old at U18 level, it’s never happened that Liverpool give a debut to a 14-year-old.

But last season, Luca Eden became the first 14-year-old to make his debut for the Reds at that level.

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Michael Edwards walking away from Liverpool should not be viewed as the beginning of another crisis. If anything, it confirms one that has been quietly developing for some time.

The headlines naturally focus on one of the most respected football executives of the modern era leaving with a year still remaining on his contract. That alone is significant. Edwards transformed Liverpool during his first spell at Anfield, helping to build a squad that conquered England and Europe while establishing a recruitment model envied across the game. His reputation remains intact and I suspect it always will.

Yet concentrating solely on his departure risks missing the far more important point.

Liverpool have changed sporting directors, technical directors, managers and executives over recent years. Individuals have come and gone, some celebrated, others criticised, but one constant has remained throughout every major decision. Fenway Sports Group continue to shape the philosophy of the football club and, for better or worse, every important decision eventually traces its way back to them.

That is why I find it difficult to become consumed by whether Edwards leaves today or somebody else replaces him tomorrow. The people change. The philosophy rarely does.

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Liverpool’s recruitment has earned its reputation by identifying value before everyone else. The numbers never tell the whole story, but they do tell you where to start looking. When I profiled Chema Andrés, João Gomes and Andrei Rațiu, I came away with three very different conclusions. All three are talented footballers, all three could improve a squad in different ways, but only one genuinely made me think, “Yes, that deal makes complete sense.”

For me, that player is Andrei Rațiu.

That should not diminish the qualities of the other two. Chema Andrés has enormous potential, and João Gomes remains a very capable Premier League midfielder; their data points towards different outcomes and different levels of value for Liverpool.

Chema Andrés Offers Elite Defensive Potential

Chema Andrés is only 20 years old and has played around 1,300 senior minutes. That is a tiny sample compared to the number of players Liverpool are linked with, so expectations have to remain realistic. Young players need minutes, not impossible comparisons.

The reason Liverpool would be interested becomes obvious when you look at the defensive profile.

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Liverpool have earned a reputation for resisting football’s oldest temptation, buying players purely because they have dazzled on the biggest international stage. History is littered with clubs paying inflated fees after memorable World Cup performances, only to discover they had purchased a fleeting moment rather than enduring quality.

Gilberto Mora, however, feels like a different conversation altogether.

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It’s been almost a week since David Ornstein ended what could have been Liverpool’s biggest move of the summer transfer window. Yan Diomande has chosen Paris Saint-Germain. Even a week after the news, it’s hard to accept this is Liverpool’s reality.

The Ivorian was the top target for Liverpool and for good reason. There aren’t many right-wingers of his quality in the market. Diomande was one of a kind and the perfect solution to Liverpool’s Mo Salah replacement problem.

Now the alternatives have been widely speculated. Bradley Barcola, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Yankuba Minteh and Said El Mala.

Interestingly, only one of the above mentioned players (Minteh) is actually a right-winger, who is more comfortable with his left-foot and prefers to play on the right.

The rest have spent the majority of their careers playing on the left-wing. So, either Liverpool bring them in and use them on the right as a makeshift solution, until they find an actual right-winger (like Sadio Mane until Mo Salah came along) or they are going to have to actually sign a right-winger.

Which is why we’ve decided to take a look at the alternative list to the list of alternatives that are already out there.

Knowing how Liverpool operate, there are going to be more names on their list than publicly available, and a Victor Munoz type transfer could already be in the works.

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There are anniversaries that pass quietly. You acknowledge them, perhaps pause for a moment, then carry on with your day. This is not one of them.

A year ago, football stopped.

It stopped because the news was too cruel to process, too sudden to comprehend. Diogo Jota, just 28 years old, and his younger brother André Silva had been taken from their family in a tragic road accident. A newly married husband. A father of three young children. Two sons. Two brothers. Two lives that should have stretched decades into the future, ending in an instant.

Last summer I struggled to make sense of it, and if I am honest, I have not become much better at it twelve months later.

Time does what it always does. It keeps moving. Football certainly does. Liverpool have played another season, celebrated victories, endured disappointments and welcomed fresh faces through the doors at Kirkby. Transfer stories have dominated headlines once again, tactical debates have filled podcasts, and supporters have done what supporters always do, they have looked ahead to the next challenge.

Yet every now and again, football reminds you that it is only football.

Today is one of those days.

Before anything else, my thoughts are with Rute, with the three children growing up without their father, with Diogo and André’s parents, and with everyone who loved them. While supporters mourn anniversaries, families live them. That is a distinction worth remembering because there is no fixture list for grief, no full-time whistle, no point at which life simply returns to normal.

Memory Made Permanent

Liverpool have chosen this anniversary to unveil Forever 20, a permanent memorial outside Anfield honouring Diogo and André.

I have looked at the photographs several times now and every time I notice another detail.

At its heart sits the flowing shape inspired by Diogo’s famous celebration. Walk around it and the sculpture reveals the numbers 20 and 30, the shirt numbers worn by the two brothers. Embedded within it are fragments of scarves and shirts left by supporters during those heartbreaking days last July. A single flower has been cast in bronze. Portuguese stone from Gondomar connects Anfield with the place the brothers called home. Resting on the plinth is a PlayStation controller, a quiet reminder of a footballer whose love of gaming became almost as recognisable as his pressing and finishing.

Nothing has been included for decoration. Everything has meaning.

Perhaps that is why the memorial feels so different from many sporting tributes.

It is not there to celebrate goals or medals. It is there to preserve memory.

The location matters too. Liverpool could have placed it almost anywhere around Anfield. Instead, it stands where supporters gathered instinctively after the tragedy. Nobody organised those thousands of flowers, scarves, cards and handwritten messages. They appeared because people needed somewhere to take their grief.

Now those tributes have become part of the memorial itself.

There is something deeply moving about that. The sorrow of thousands has become part of something permanent, transformed from fragile flowers and fading ink into bronze and stone. It feels less like a monument and more like a promise.

More Than Liverpool’s Number 20

Football has always been tempted to reduce people to achievements.

Goals scored.

Trophies won.

Minutes played.

Transfer fees.

Diogo Jota gave Liverpool wonderful moments that deserve to be celebrated. Sixty-five goals, winners in huge matches, relentless pressing, an instinct for arriving at precisely the right moment. He helped deliver the Premier League title and played his part in restoring Liverpool to the summit of English football.

Yet over the past year, I have found myself thinking less about those moments and more about the man everyone describes.

Listen to those who worked alongside him, and the words barely change.

Kind.

Selfless.

Quietly competitive.

Someone who made others feel valued.

Someone who cared more about the team than himself.

Managers speak about tactics every week. Players praise each other after every victory. Football is rarely short of compliments. Yet the tributes paid to Diogo have always felt different because they never begin with football.

Arne Slot captured that perfectly this week when he reflected on the anniversary. He spoke about how moments like these remind you that football is never the most important thing. More revealing still was his description of Diogo as someone who brought people together, someone who always put the group first and made those around him feel important.

Those are not qualities measured by analysts or recorded by Opta.

They are qualities recognised by people.

Perhaps that explains why this loss reached so far beyond Liverpool supporters. Rival fans mourned. Players from every corner of the sport paid tribute. Football, for a brief moment, remembered that behind every shirt number sits a family, behind every television appearance sits a husband, a father, a son or a brother.

Sometimes we forget that.

Diogo Jota reminded us.

Season Shaped by Absence

I often think back to last summer and wonder how many people outside Liverpool truly appreciated what followed.

Supporters are expected to move quickly in modern football. One news cycle replaces another. One transfer replaces the last. Outrage lasts a day before attention turns elsewhere.

This felt different.

Every visit to Anfield carried a reminder.

Every time his song echoed around the ground there was a lump in the throat that caught supporters by surprise. We still sang it because songs are how Liverpool remembers our own. The words became less about celebrating a forward who had scored goals and more about refusing to allow his memory to fade.

That is one of the great strengths of this football club.

Liverpool has always understood remembrance.

Whether through triumph or tragedy, those who shape its story remain part of it forever. The club’s history has never been confined to trophies in cabinets. It lives in stories passed between generations, in songs carried from one match to the next, and now in a sculpture that ensures visitors will continue asking why number 20 means so much.

Children who never watched Diogo Jota play will one day stand before Forever 20 and ask questions.

Parents will tell them.

Grandparents will tell them.

Supporters they have never met will tell them.

That is how memory survives.

Not because history books demand it, but because ordinary people refuse to let it disappear.

Carrying His Name Forward

There is an old belief that football heals.

I’m not sure it does.

Football distracts. It gives us somewhere to gather, somewhere to sing, somewhere to share emotions with strangers wearing the same colours. There is comfort in that, and Liverpool has always provided it in abundance.

Healing belongs to families.

Supporters can only bear witness.

As this anniversary arrives, I hope Rute finds strength in knowing how deeply her husband continues to be loved. I hope their three children grow up understanding that their father meant far more to Liverpool than the goals he scored. I hope Diogo and André’s parents see that two sons taken far too early continue to unite people across countries and across generations.

That is no small legacy.

Football often speaks about immortality in sporting terms. Records are broken, trophies eventually gather dust and even the greatest players become part of history.

Love endures far longer.

Looking at Forever 20, I realised something that I could not have understood twelve months ago.

The memorial is not there because Liverpool cannot let go.

It is there because Liverpool knows exactly what deserves to be held on to.

Diogo Jota will always be remembered as a brilliant footballer.

He deserves that.

But I suspect that, in years to come, supporters will remember something even greater. They will remember the kindness spoken about by every teammate. They will remember the humility that made him so easy to admire. They will remember how a city embraced a young man from Portugal until he became one of their own.

Some footballers become legends because of what they win.

Others become legends because of how they make people feel.

Diogo Jota belongs firmly in the second group.

One year on, there are still no easy words.

There probably never will be.

There is only gratitude for what he gave, sorrow for everything that was taken away, and a promise that his song will continue to ring around Anfield long after all of us have gone.

Forever 20 is not simply the name of a memorial.

It is Liverpool’s pledge that Diogo Jota and André Silva will never be forgotten.

Today, as always, my thoughts remain with Rute, their three children, Diogo and André’s parents, and everyone fortunate enough to have loved them.

You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Every transfer window throws up alternatives.

Some are sensible. Some are good value. Some offer enough quality that you could convince yourself they would succeed with the right coaching. But every so often, you come across a player whose underlying profile simply sits on another level.

That is where I am with Yan Diomande, and why Liverpool made him their primary target, even if it now appears he has chosen PSG instead.

I’ve spent plenty of time looking through the numbers, watching the footage, and comparing him with the alternatives Liverpool has reportedly considered. Fernandez Pardo, Yankuba Minteh and Said El Mala are all talented young forwards. They all have strengths. They all offer qualities that could improve Liverpool’s squad.

For me, though, Diomande sits comfortably ahead of every one of them.

When I compare the data across every phase of attacking play, finishing, creativity, ball progression, passing and even defensive contribution, there is a sizeable gap between Diomande and the rest.

That is why reports that Diomande has chosen PSG over Liverpool feel like such a significant setback. After looking through his profile in detail, I completely understand why Liverpool were prepared to make him one of their priority targets.

Elite Attacking Profile Across Every Metric

One of the biggest mistakes people make when analysing young attackers is focusing solely on one or two standout statistics. For instance, a player may exhibit exceptional shooting skills, while another may excel in dribbling, and yet another might create chances at an elite level. However, the critical question is whether they can effectively combine all those skills. That is precisely where Diomande distinguishes himself from the rest. As this Scout Lab player card shows, the combination of his attacking metrics puts him substantially above the norm for attacking VAEP.

His overall final product sits in the 97th percentile. Every major attacking metric in that profile sits above the 95th percentile, except for shot volume, which remains his one obvious area for improvement. His overall shooting profile ranks in the 88th percentile, while his chance creation reaches the remarkable 99th percentile.

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When I look at Andoni Iraola and how his teams play, the first thing I come back to is the structure. It is easy to be drawn towards the attacking excitement, the high regains, the quick transitions and the idea of Liverpool playing with purpose again. That matters, of course. It is a big part of why this appointment feels exciting. However, for that football to function properly, the recruitment has to be right.

Iraola’s model asks specific things of specific players. It is not a case of simply adding talent and hoping the system takes care of itself. The profiles matter. The balance matters. The way players cover space, receive under pressure, win duels and play forward matters.

That is why I keep coming back to the same area, the double pivot.

For me, that is the key zone in this Liverpool squad. We need defensive players who can sit in front of the back four, protect the central areas, and prevent opponents from finding the dangerous pockets between midfield and defence. I have spoken before about defending zone 14 and the half spaces, and that is exactly where Liverpool needs more control off the ball, and then we need to impose ourselves in those areas when we do have the ball.

If Iraola wants to play aggressive, vertical football and wants his team to win the ball high, then Liverpool still needs insurance behind that pressure. The players in the pivot cannot simply be passers. They have to be able to defend first, nick the ball, cover ground and then play quickly into the players who can do damage; they become the foundation from which we attack and a position we defend from.

Without that, the exciting parts of the system can become exposed. With it, Liverpool has a chance to make the whole thing work and become challengers again.

Double Pivot Should Be Priority

I would be very clear on this. Liverpool have to sign players who can operate in that double pivot. The profile is important. They need to be mobile. They need to be quick-footed. They need to be aggressive enough to win the ball back, but composed enough to use it properly once they have won it. This cannot simply be about adding a destroyer, nor can it be about adding a neat passer. The role requires both sides of the game.

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When I looked at Andoni Iraola’s numbers, the attacking side of it was exciting. The high regains, the vertical football, the possession with intent, the ability to create threat and get shots from central areas, all of that gives Liverpool something to buy into. But there is another question that matters just as much.

Can that intensity survive a Liverpool season?

That is the concern I understand. It is one thing to play with energy and aggression at Bournemouth. It is another to take that model into a Liverpool calendar, with league demands, Champions League travel, short turnarounds, international disruption and the expectation that every game must be won.

Liverpool supporters know what intensity looks like. They have seen sides press high, attack quickly and turn Anfield into a place where opponents cannot breathe. They have also seen what happens when a squad is pushed too far, when bodies start to break and when January suddenly feels like the moment when the football becomes heavier.

So this question is legitimate. It is not negative to ask it. It is necessary.

Iraola’s football is demanding. His team’s press. They play high. They want to win possession close to the goal. They want to attack quickly. That sort of game requires physical readiness, squad depth, coaching clarity and buy-in from the wider performance structure.

The good news is that there are signs Iraola has already started learning how to manage that.

Injury Numbers Need Context

The headline number at Bournemouth was 18 injuries. On the surface, that sounds alarming. If you see that figure on its own, you might think Liverpool are moving from one problem into another. But you have to look beyond the headline.

The more important number is the games missed.

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Naturally when a new manager comes in there will be some players who will suit his style a lot better than others. There will also be youngsters who will have an opportunity to breakthrough under his guidance.

Mor Talla Ndiaye is one of those young players who could flourish under Andoni Iraola for several reasons.

The Senegalese centre-back who only arrived at Liverpool during the January transfer window has been impressive for the U21 side, he’s even sat on the bench a couple of times for the first-team and this pre-season he will be very eager to catch Iraola’s eye especially before the likes of Virgil van Dijk comes back from international duty.

But just why is Ndiaye the one to watch?

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