Liverpool can replace both Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah should they make one appointment.
According to the Mail Online, West Ham are braced for an approach from Liverpool to poach their highly-rated sporting director Tim Steidten upon the close of the January transfer window.
Liverpool are in the hunt for a new sporting director after Jorg Schmadtke announced he would depart the club at the close of the current window. Schmadtke is one of five high-profile departures, including Klopp, announced by Liverpool last week.
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Former sporting director Michael Edwards is said to have rejected the chance to return to the Reds in a new role last week. Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon reportedly floated the idea of him occupying a more senior role to oversee the restructure of the club.
And as per the Mail Online, West Ham’s Steidten and Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes have emerged as leading candidates to take the sporting director role. It has been alleged however that no approach has been made as of yet, given it’s the final days of the transfer window.
Employing Steidten could be a masterstroke for Liverpool. The 44-year-old was at Bayer Leverkusen before joining West Ham in the summer and was responsible for bringing Xabi Alonso to the club as manager, plus several of the players leading their Bundesliga title charge.
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Based on Steidten’s past relationship with the Bundesliga club, his arrival would likely help Liverpool in their pursuit of Alonso, who is widely considered the favourite to succeed Klopp in the Anfield dug-out.
Klopp’s departure has also thrown the future of three of Liverpool’s most important players - Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah - into a spot of doubt, with each having just 18 months remaining on their current deals.
Salah, in particular, was linked to the Saudi Pro League last summer, with Liverpool even receiving a £150million verbal offer from Al Ittihad.
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Should Salah be enticed by a move away, Steidten could also be instrumental in bringing an ideal replacement, Mohammed Kudus.
The Ghana international was linked with Liverpool in the summer, as well as Chelsea and Brighton, before being lured to West Ham.
Topics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Transfers, Premier League
Chris Byfield