Jorg Schmadtke joining Liverpool as ‘temporary’ transfer consultant – not permanent role

Jorg Schmadtke has been strongly linked to the sporting director’s job at Liverpool, but a contrasting report has now emerged.

With Julian Ward sent to leave his post as sporting director in the summer, the Reds are on the hunt for somebody to fill the position.

On Saturday, the Telegraph reported that Liverpool “look set to appoint” Schmadtke as their new sporting director.

However, Sport Bild journalist Christian Falk has now claimed otherwise.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “According to our information, Jorg Schmadtke is actually in talks with Liverpool first about a post as ‘external consultant for transfers’ for temporary support.”

After Schmadtke left his post at Wolfsburg in January, Jurgen Klopp said that he “would have liked to have worked with him sometime.”

2A0H7HH Wolfsburg, Deutschland. 19th Sep, 2019. firo: 19.09.2019, football, UEFA Europa League, EL, season 2019/2020, VfL Wolfsburg - PFK Oleksandrija 3: 1 Jorg SCHMADTKE, managing director of Wolfsburg, portrait, laughs | usage worldwide Credit: dpa/Alamy Live News

This proposed role as an ‘external consultant for transfers’ could make more sense for Liverpool and Schmadtke, given the German was supposed to have retired earlier this year.

Having Schmadtke in the role would help Liverpool out with their summer transfer dealings if they haven’t yet found a permanent replacement for Ward.

Klopp recently said that he prefers having someone who can carry out work with agents on negotiations.

“Pretty much everybody has a sporting director and that’s because it makes sense,” the Liverpool manager said.

“I don’t know how the guys did that in the past [on managers working without sporting directors] I have no clue around that, talking to all the agents and these kinds of things.

15.09.2011, AWD-Arena, Hannover, GER, UEFA EL,Gruppe B, Hannover 96 (GER) vs Standard Luettich (BE), im Bild Joerg Schmadtke (Sportlicher Leiter von Hannover 96).// during the match from GER, UEFA EL, Group B, Hannover 96 (GER) vs Royal Standard Club de Liege (BE) on 2011/09/15, AWD-Arena, Hannover, Germany. .EXPA Pictures © 2011, PhotoCredit: EXPA/ nph/ Schrader ****** out of GER / CRO / BEL ******

“You need people for that, there’s no chance, and that’s why I am happy with the structure and the guy we get or the lady we get will be absolutely right.”

Whatever Liverpool do, they don’t want to rush into a decision and appoint the wrong person.

They have known now, though, for over six months that Ward will be departing at the end of the season.