Liverpool’s Julian Ward emerges as leading candidate to take over as sporting director with Ajax
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Julian Ward emerges as the frontrunner to take over as Ajax’s sporting director after announcing he will leave Liverpool in the summer after just a year in the role.
- Liverpool sporting director Julian Ward to step down at the end of the season
- Ward only took over his role earlier this year, but he is leaving for personal reasons.
- Now he could gamble on taking on the same role with Dutch giants Ajax.
Liverpool’s Julian Ward has emerged as one of the frontrunners to take over as Ajax sporting director.
Ward announced in November that he would leave his role at Liverpool at the end of this season.
And now he is being seriously considered by the Dutch champions to replace Marc Overmars.
Ward has only been sporting director for one season at Anfield after taking over from Mike Edwards, but has overseen transfers including Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo.
His decision to leave was unexpected and it is understood that he was met with disappointment within the club.
Julian Ward has become one of the main candidates to assume the position of sports director of Ajax.
Liverpool are considering continuing the sporting director model first introduced with Edwards in 2016.
Jurgen Klopp, who likes the sporting director structure and was close to both Edwards and Ward, will play a key role in deciding how football operations should be run at the end of the season.
CEO Billy Hogan will also be involved in the final decision.
Ward (right) enjoys a close relationship with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (centre)