He was instrumental in acquiring Mohamed Salah and others, and showed his skill in negotiating with other players. Michael Edwards, Sporting Director, who revived Liverpool with the owners and Jurgen Klopp, left the club at the end of the 2021/22 season.
Julian Ward was the man to replace him. He was involved in negotiations and contracts during Edwards’ tenure with the club, and was instrumental in the acquisition of Colombian international Luis Diaz and others.
He continued to show his ability, and this summer he succeeded in getting Argentine midfielder Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for a low price.
However, he was set to leave the team at the end of last season, and Liverpool picked Jorg Schmatke as his replacement. Thanks in part to his strong connections in the Bundesliga, the club brought three midfielders from Germany to the team.
According to the Daily Mail, interest has been received from Saudi Arabia, which has acquired a number of star players with ample funds, and Al Ittihad, where Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté are currently playing, is looking to bring in Ward, who has been on a free transfer since leaving Liverpool.
Al Ittihad also acquired Brazilian midfielder Fabinho from Liverpool during this summer’s transfer window. The team is led by new manager Marcelo Gajardo, who took over from Nuno Espirito Santo, and is ranked fourth in the Saudi Professional League.
The club is also reported to have made a bid for Egyptian international Mohamed Salah this summer, and verbally presented a huge offer. The club is expected to make another move during next summer’s transfer window and will look to Liverpool’s former sporting director to bring in big names, including Egyptian King.
No concrete moves have been made at this point, but it could be an interesting challenge for the Saudis, who are looking to bring in top players from Europe and South America to help them compete in the top flight.
What kind of career will Julian Ward have in the future?