Liverpool's Search for New Sporting Director: Candidates and Expectations

Liverpool are widening their search for a new sporting director, with Brentford technical director Lee Dykes among the external candidates to have held talks with the club.

The Premier League side are exploring options beyond Anfield, yet the mood inside the corridors of power points in a familiar direction. The expectation is that the eventual successor to Richard Hughes will come from within, with current technical director Julian Ward regarded as a leading contender to step up.

Hughes’ departure for Al-Hilal, confirmed at the start of the month, has forced Fenway Sports Group to move quickly. FSG president Mike Gordon is driving the process, weighing up whether to back continuity or bring in a fresh voice from outside.

Dykes has emerged as one of the standout external names. Since joining Brentford in May 2019, he has been a central figure in the club’s rise and consolidation as a Premier League outfit, helping to build a squad capable of not just surviving but competing after promotion in 2021. His work in west London has not gone unnoticed.

He is not the only Brentford figure admired at Anfield. Sporting director Phil Giles is also held in high regard, though prising him away from a key role at a stable and ambitious club is viewed as a far tougher task.

FSG have spoken to other external candidates as well, testing the market while they assess their internal structure. The choice now is stark: double down on the Anfield model they know, or import the blueprint that has quietly turned Brentford into one of the league’s smartest operators.