Jurgen Klopp rebuild gets boost as sporting director gives green light for Liverpool talks
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has openly admitted that the upcoming summer transfer window will see a significant change at Anfield, with a number of moves expected
Paul Mitchell has opened the door to Liverpool by officially confirming he will step down as Monaco’s sporting director.
The Reds are looking for a new face behind the scenes after Julian Ward confirmed he will leave Anfield at the end of the season. This announcement came as a surprise to Kop bosses, including manager Jurgen Klopp.
Ward had replaced the highly regarded Michael Edwards just months earlier and the smooth transition was seen as a huge boon to the club’s future. But Ward is now set to take on a role at Ajax ahead of a huge summer transfer window on Merseyside.
And reports from France suggest Mitchell is within Ward’s position and According to GFFN, initial talks are now underway.
Klopp is facing one of the busiest off-seasons he has had in recent years with his Liverpool squad in dire need of a refresher. There are expected to be several high-profile exits at the end of the current season, which has seen the Reds eliminated from competition both domestically and in Europe.
Mitchell is one of the better-known transfer bosses, having made his name at Southampton and Tottenham before joining Red Bull and RB Leipzig. He then landed the top job at Monaco in 2020 when he signed a contract that saw him tied to the principality’s club until 2024.
However, Mitchell has now confirmed that he is in the process of sourcing his own replacement and will resign when the president considers the process complete. When asked if the rumors about his exit plans were true, he said Nice matinee. “Yes. It was a very difficult decision.
“I loved my experience at this club. I have always felt a lot of support from President Dmitry Rybolovlev and the Principality. But I’ve spent a lot of time away from home and my loved ones in recent years. I feel that my mission to rebuild the sports project has been accomplished.”
On a timetable for his departure, he added: “I need to find my successor, accompany him in his first steps in Monaco and guide him until we consider with the President that it is time to step down. We want the transition to be as smooth and consistent as possible.”
Mitchell warned that “not everything” that has been reported about his future is true and that for now he is fully focused on his work at the Ligue 1 club. Last year, the 41-year-old offered a fascinating insight into his process as he slammed the direction taken by Liverpool’s arch-rivals Manchester United.
“I think they need to get to the point where they really write down what Manchester United needs to be in the modern game,” he said Sky Sports last July. “We are a long way from the Sir Alex Ferguson era. Erik ten Hag is a top manager at Ajax but they need a top draft not only now but also for the next five years.”
“I think we’ve seen that if you pursue this long-term strategy, both Manchester City and Liverpool can achieve real consistency and sustained success.”