Liverpool have appointed Jorg Schmadtke as the club’s new sporting director, the English Premier League club side confirmed on Tuesday, 30th of May.
Jorg Schmadtke will start his new role at Liverpool on the 1st of June as the English club look to rebuild for next season after failing to secure a UEFA Champions League spot this season.
Jorg Schmadtke replaces Julian Ward, who is leaving after 12 months in the position and more than a decade at Anfield.
In October 2012, Julian Ward became a part of the Reds’ recruitment and scouting team.
Three years later, he was promoted to the role of loan pathways and football partnerships manager.
Following the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, Ward was promoted to the position of sporting director from his previous position as assistant sporting director.
Schmadtke, the newly appointed sports director will join the team initially on a short-term contract that may be extended if successful.
Because of the importance of having their new man in place before the summer transfer window starts on June 14, Liverpool pushed to get him at the club as soon as possible.
After spending over four years in the same position with Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, which he left at the start of 2023, Schmadtke has decided to join the Reds.
The ex-goalkeeper had previous professional success with Cologne, Hannover, and Alemannia Aachen.
Schmadtke played approximately 300 games in the Bundesliga for four different German clubs Fortuna Dusseldorf, Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen, and Borussia Monchengladbach before calling it quits in 1998.
Speaking on Schmadtke, Liverpool’s Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon said: “Firstly, I would like to welcome Jorg to Liverpool Football Club in the knowledge and experience into a role in which such qualities can only be beneficial both to him and us.
“Jorg will work with our football operations department as it continues to provide support for Jurgen Klopp, in keeping with our ongoing endeavor to keep growing and developing the club in all areas”.
He added: “At the same time as we welcome Jorg, we must also bid a fond farewell to Julian Ward, who has served us with unstinting diligence, fortitude, and energy in several roles, the most recent one being a sporting director”.
Before the transfer window opens in two weeks, Schmadtke and Ward will organize to make sure that the move goes well.
At least two midfielders are anticipated to join the team, and Schmadtke is managing the negotiations to bring them in.
Klopp’s team will have to settle for Europa League competition next season, therefore he and Schmadtke will be quite busy this summer as Liverpool try to bolster their roster for the upcoming campaign.
What’s next for Liverpool?
Planning for prospective summer signings is well underway for Liverpool, with Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister at the top of the Reds’ list of priorities.
With Jurgen Klopp anxious to rebuild his squad following a dismal season, the club is hoping to acquire at least three key first-team signings in this window after Ward met with Schmadtke on Merseyside last week.
The names of Chelsea’s Mason Mount, Wolves’ Matheus Nunes, and Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch have also been bandied about.
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