Jamie Carragher suggests Henderson theory may be behind Michael Edwards’ Liverpool exit
Former Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards left the club in 2022 after being involved in a number of significant transfer deals during his time at Anfield
Jamie Carragher has raised questions about the situation surrounding Michael Edwards’ departure as Liverpool’s sporting director, pointing to indications of internal disagreements over Jordan Henderson’s contract extension in 2021.
Club captain Henderson signed a lengthy extension despite being 31 at the time. While admitting reports of Edwards’ own future around the same time were “probably coincidental” in terms of timing, former Reds defender Carragher has voiced his concerns that remain to this day.
Edwards’ departure was announced in 2021 and was succeeded by Julian Ward, who is said to have played a big part in the signing of Luis Diaz, among others. But Ward himself will also leave Anfield after just a year in his new position.
“Henderson has given Liverpool excellent service but the length of the contract [four years] was a surprise and went against FSG policy towards players in their 30s,” wrote Carragher in his column for The Telegraph. “We’ll sort it. There’s no doubt about it,” said Klopp.
“Within 24 hours of an agreement being reached, it was reported that sporting director Michael Edwards was contemplating his future and has since left him. The timing was probably coincidental, but there was strong evidence – unchallenged – that there was internal disagreement about the length and value of Henderson’s expansion.
“That worried me at the time and worried me even more when I hear the echoes when Klopp talks about the future of Roberto Firmino and James Milner,” added Carragher. However, he acknowledged that other extensions – notably for Klopp himself and last season’s top scorer Mohamed Salah – were not among those he felt were “controversial”.
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In November 2022, it was revealed that Ward would be leaving his role after just one year. He has been at Anfield in various roles for more than a decade and in his first summer transfer window after succeeding Edwards, the Reds signed Darwin Nunez in what could eventually become a club record deal.
Reports have since surfaced that Ajax might be ready to offer Ward a role in Amsterdam. The Dutch giants are seeking a permanent successor to Marc Overmars, who left his post as director of football in February 2022 after admitting to sending inappropriate messages to colleagues.
Carragher said the timing of Liverpool’s search for a new sporting director “couldn’t be worse” given the current state of the squad and the obvious need for investment in the squad. Klopp’s side have a number of players out of contract at the end of the season, while Dutch striker Cody Gakpo was the only new addition to the squad during the January transfer window.