Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s owners, have confirmed the appointment of Michael Edwards in a new role as CEO of Football within the ownership group.
An FSG statement, released at 12pm on Tuesday (UK time), confirms:
- Michael Edwards is now CEO of Football within FSG
- He will appoint “new leadership” – including manager and sporting director
- To lead FSG’s plans to acquire or invest in other football clubs
- Will no longer hold consultancy role with Ludonautics
The statement reads as follows.
Fenway Sports Group (FSG), a global sports, marketing, media, entertainment, and real estate company, today announced that Michael Edwards will be joining the organisation in the role of CEO of Football, where the 44-year-old executive will assume a broad range of responsibilities including leading efforts to identify and recruit new leadership for Liverpool FC’s football operation, and supporting the growth of FSG in global football through additional investment and acquisition.
In this position, Edwards will report directly to FSG’s ownership group, led by principal owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, and president Mike Gordon.
Edwards previously worked as sporting director at the Merseyside club, overseeing a period of success which saw the team win seven major titles, including a UEFA Champions League trophy and ending a 30-year wait to become English top-flight champions.
What Mike Gordon said…
“Michael is one of the most formidable executive talents in world football and John, Tom, and I are absolutely thrilled to have secured his services for our business. He returns to us in a role with greater seniority than he held previously and with a wider remit. It was clear when we initially reached out to him that a broader scope would be a key motivating factor for any potential return to the industry. In this regard – and many others – his ambitions matched ours.
“As an organisation we constantly strive for improvement in our football operation, whether that be identifying fresh opportunities externally or areas for enhancement internally, and there is no better person to lead that ongoing process. In keeping with this objective, he will take over responsibilities I have previously held regarding oversight and management of Liverpool FC’s football operation. Fulfilling that role has been one of the greatest privileges of my life and handing it over and returning to a more traditional role in ownership is something I have been hoping to do for some time, but only if we could find the right individual or structure. In Michael we now have the ideal person to assume these responsibilities. I look forward to working with him again from my position within ownership, from where I will continue to lead engagement on matters relating to football. On behalf of everyone at FSG I am delighted to welcome him back and also hugely excited to see one of the most sought-after executives back in our ranks.”
What Michael Edwards said…
“I am very grateful to Mike, John, Tom and the ownership group for offering me the opportunity to take on this new leadership role within FSG. I was humbled by the desire and persistence they showed in wanting to work with me again. This is definitely not something that I take for granted given their track record across sport and business.
“It was vital for me that, if I did return, it had to be with renewed vigour and energy. In practice, this means having fresh challenges and opportunities. As such, one of the biggest factors in my decision is the commitment to acquire and oversee an additional club, growing this area of their organisation. I believe that to remain competitive, investment and expansion of the current football portfolio is necessary.
“With Liverpool FC, I will oversee the required reinforcement of football operations, with a number of essential leadership positions needing urgent attention. I know from personal experience what a wonderful job Mike Gordon has done with day-to-day oversight on behalf of his fellow owners. Going forward I’m looking forward to working with FSG’s board of managers. Also, in assuming this role, I fully understand that it comes with great expectations, and I therefore intend to identify, hire, and subsequently empower leaders who meet and embody the club’s values and ambitions.
“Having served the club previously I need no reminder of how much emotional investment is made by supporters in the city itself, as well as across the UK and the world. I am looking forward to getting started.”
Edwards will no longer work as a consultant to sports management business Ludonautics, where he has advised since it was established in 2023.
Edwards spent over a decade at Liverpool FC, serving initially as Performance Director upon joining in 2011, before being promoted to Sporting Director in 2015, a post he held until his departure in 2022. During that time the club secured its sixth UEFA European Cup/Champions League, a first ever Premier League title, a UEFA European Super Cup, a historic FIFA Club World Cup, the FA Cup, and a League Cup.
He is credited with building an industry leading football operations team, marrying a data-led approach with scouting and intelligence to revolutionise the organisation’s recruitment, player trading, squad planning and major football led decision making.
• READ: How Michael Edwards’ return can kick off Liverpool’s plan to ‘recreate’ Jurgen Klopp
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