Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of Richard Hughes as their new sporting director
16:00, 20 Mar 2024Updated 14:28, 21 Mar 2024
Liverpool have appointed Richard Hughes as their new sporting director.
Working closely alongside Michael Edwards, Hughes will be tasked with helping bring key players to the club in the coming years and sanctioning exits to balance the books.
The 44-year-old has been serving as Bouremouth's technical director up until this point and has overseen several shrewd deals, including Nathan Ake, Dominic Solanke and Callum Wilson.
Now a member of the Reds' transfer department, Hughes could turn to his former club when considering who could be a good fit for Liverpool this summer. Listed below are four players who may fall into this category:
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Lloyd Kelly
The former Bristol City star is able to perform at centre-back and left-back, offering the Reds greater options for their rearguard that will soon be in need for a refresh. Still only 25-years-old, Kelly has plenty of years left to compete at the top level and would also boost Liverpool's homegrown quota in the process.
Commenting on the player's future at the club, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola said in December: “It is a little bit similar (to Solanke). I don’t want to lose any of our best players. Lloyd Kelly is one of our best players, for sure. But you never know what is going to happen every time the window is open.”
Alex Scott
Another player Bournemouth pinched from Bristol City, Scott was a player in demand at the time of his transfer in August of last year. The 20-year-old midfielder is understood to have cost the Cherries a club-record £25million fee and is certainly someone with plenty of potential.
Liverpool were among the clubs linked with Scott while still plying his trade in the Championship and could renew their interest this summer to bolster their midfield department.
Marcos Senesi
Now in his second season on the south coast, Senesi has grown in stature for Bournemouth after arriving from Feyenoord in 2022. The Argentine centre-back could be a useful addition to the Reds' squad, at a time when there is uncertainty over Joel Matip's future at the club.
The 26-year-old also meets the left-sided defensive profile Liverpool were seeking ahead of the current campaign, though ended up missing out on despite drawing up various targets such as Levi Colwill and Micky van de Ven.
Illia Zabarnyi
Another defensive option the Reds could take a chance on. The Ukranian centre-back was purchased from Dynamo Kyiv last January and has completed the full 90 minutes in each of the Cherries' top-flight fixtures this term. After suffering numerous injury issues with both Matip and Ibrahima Konate, an individual capable of remaining fit for the course of the campaign would be a major plus.