Liverpool are increasingly minded to make Julian Ward their internal appointment in the search for a new sporting director, with the club also speaking to external candidates as the process continues.
Ward is already part of Liverpool's structure as technical director, which makes him a familiar option as the club looks to fill the role vacated after Richard Hughes's departure for Al-Hilal was confirmed at the start of the month.
What the search looks like
The direction of travel is important because the sporting director position shapes recruitment and broader football planning. Liverpool have considered external names as part of the process, including Brentford figures Lee Dykes and Phil Giles, but the internal option now appears to be gaining ground.
That would give Liverpool continuity at a key moment. Ward is already inside the club's system, so an appointment from within would avoid a wider handover at a time when the decision still matters for how the squad is built and managed going forward.
Brentford's rise also helps explain why their recruitment team has been on Liverpool's radar. Lee Dykes arrived at Brentford in May 2019, and the Bees were promoted to the Premier League in 2021, adding to the profile of the people Liverpool have looked at during the search.
For now, the key point is straightforward: Liverpool are still speaking to candidates, but Julian Ward is believed to be a strong contender to step into the sporting director role.
