The links between Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and Al-Hilal have been addressed by a source close to the club.
Shortly after the end of Liverpool’s Champions League clash on Wednesday night, Fabrizio Romano named Hughes as a leading contender to take over at Al-Hilal.
This comes as Hughes — along with Arne Slot and Michael Edwards — approaches the final year of his Liverpool contract.
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There has been enough discontent with the recent recruitment to suggest an appetite for his departure, but James Pearce has poured cold water on these links in a recent interview.
James Pearce says Richard Hughes links are being downplayed at Liverpool
We don’t quite know what FSG are making of the current leadership structure, though their public stance has always been one of support.
Pearce has spoken to people privy to the situation, and hasn’t been given reason to doubt Hughes’ future at Anfield.
As he explains on The Athletic’s Walk On podcast: “At the moment, there is no suggestion that that is what Richard Hughes is intending to do. It’s been downplayed to me as well.
“I think, of course there is this degree of uncertainty because as we’ve talked about previously, in a couple of months time you’ll have Michael Edwards, Richard Hughes and Arne Slot all down to one year left on their contracts, so I think speculation is inevitable on that front.
“What I do know is that FSG definitely won’t want to lose Richard Hughes.”
It wouldn’t be a good look for Liverpool to lose such a key leader if that isn’t their intention. So far, the links are mere speculation. Sure, it would be a good gig — Al-Hilal spend as much as Liverpool.
The interest from Saudi Arabia is real, but there’s nothing to suggest it’s reciprocated.
Pearce concludes: “I’ve never got that impression of any frustration from the owners’ point of view. They’ve only ever had good things to say about him.”
Liverpool have experienced more turnover in that role than they would like, and as much as the recruitment has been critiqued, it’s unfair to judge it this soon.
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The strategy is identifying young stars who can develop into elite players, so the true quality of the summer’s business will only become clear in the coming seasons.
The logical move is to allow them all to finish their contracts and reassess next summer.
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