Liverpool have confirmed that Richard Hughes has stepped down as sporting director, bringing an end to a turbulent two-year tenure during which the club spent approximately £670m in the transfer market. The 47-year-old Scot is widely expected to join Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal, though his exit comes at the conclusion of a summer window rather than a sudden departure.
Hughes arrived at Anfield in June 2024 from Bournemouth, succeeding Jörg Schmadtke, and quickly made his mark by spearheading the appointment of Arne Slot as head coach following Jürgen Klopp's departure. That decision initially paid off handsomely, with Slot guiding Liverpool to a 20th Premier League title in his debut season. However, the club's fortunes soured dramatically the following campaign, as Slot's side finished fifth, prompting his dismissal and replacement by Andoni Iraola, a manager with whom Hughes had previously worked at Bournemouth.
Hughes leaves behind a squad reshaped by significant investment, including three signings exceeding £110m: Alexander Isak (£125m from Newcastle), Florian Wirtz (£116m from Bayer Leverkusen), and most recently Bradley Barcola, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee reported between £117m and £123m depending on the source. That deal, completed after lengthy negotiations, marked the final major transaction of his tenure.
Despite the scale of spending, results have been mixed. Isak's early impact was hampered by a broken leg that sidelined him from December onward, though recent performances—including a brace against Ipswich—have offered encouragement. Wirtz, meanwhile, endured a difficult debut season and remains unproven at Anfield. Other arrivals such as Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong have similarly struggled to convince, while Hugo Ekitike's promising start was cut short by an Achilles injury that ruled him out of the World Cup with no clear return timeline.
Hughes's exit follows a period of broader upheaval at Liverpool. Michael Edwards, FSG's chief executive of football and a close friend of Hughes, resigned in July, and last month the ownership group confirmed the sale of a minority stake—reportedly around 30%—to a consortium led by Amit Bhatia's 1892 Holdings, which includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos among its investors.
According to reports, Hughes informed Liverpool's hierarchy of his intention to leave earlier this year, shortly after Edwards' own decision to step down was made known internally. Given his close working relationship with Iraola and ongoing transfer business, it was mutually agreed that Hughes would remain in his post through the end of the summer window. Liverpool have stated they are satisfied that no formal approach was made by Al-Hilal during this period, and that Hughes worked exclusively for the club throughout.
In a statement released by Liverpool, Hughes reflected on his time at the club: