Michael Edwards set to step down as Liverpool sporting director

Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards is likely to step down from his position at the end of the current season.

Since joining the club as head of performance and analysis in late 2011, Edwards has blossomed into one of the most influential figures at Anfield, taking up his current role in 2016 and earning significant praise for his shrewd business in the transfer market.

It seems as though his time at the club could be coming to an end, however, as The Athletic note that Edwards' contract has entered its final 12 months and he is believed to have already informed Liverpool of his decision to walk away next summer.

While his departure is yet to be finalised, the overwhelming belief is that Edwards will leave the club when his contract expires. Amicable talks have been ongoing for a while now, with Liverpool preparing themselves for his exit by promoting Julian Ward to the role of assistant sporting director last December.

Following in Edwards' footsteps will be no easy task. The current transfer chief has been an integral part of the furniture at Anfield, building an elite playing squad and delivering long-awaited silverware.

It was Edwards who oversaw the deals to sign Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and Georginio Wijnaldum, all of whom were vital to Liverpool's return to prominence.

Perhaps even more impressive has been Edwards' ability to extract value from player sales. Philippe Coutinho's £142m move to Barcelona, sealed in January 2018 after the Brazilian pushed to leave, is an obvious highlight, but expensive sales like those of Dominic Solanke, Rhian Brewster and Dejan Lovren have also exceeded expectations.

More recently, Edwards' focus has been on keeping the core of players he built together, prioritising new contracts over additions in the transfer market.

Left-back Robertson recently because the fifth first-team star to put pen to paper on an extension, following Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho and Alisson in committing their futures to the Anfield side.

The contract business is not yet finished, with Salah and club captain Jordan Henderson also expected to agree on fresh terms in the near future.