Sporting director Hughes set to leave Reds next year

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is not expected to sign a new deal to remain at the club beyond 2027.

Hughes' current contract expires next June and BBC Sport understands he is likely to link up with former Bournemouth colleague Simon Francis at Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal.

Al Hilal and Francis are operating on the basis that Hughes will join the club.

Francis replaced Hughes as Bournemouth's technical director when Hughes was hired by Liverpool owner's Fenway Sports Group in 2024 and is now leading Al Hilal's transfer activity, having left the Cherries at the end of the season.

As it stands, Hughes and Liverpool are focused solely on the current transfer window and the forthcoming season, which is the first for Andoni Iraola, since he replaced Arne Slot.

Liverpool have signed French defender Jeremy Jacquet and Spanish winger Victor Munoz this summer, with the former's signature secured in January before Iraola's arrival.

Midfielder Harvey Elliott is also set to return to the club after his loan spell at Aston Villa expired.

Liverpool continue to be linked with attackers including Paris St-Germain's Bradley Barcola, but are set to be disappointed in their pursuit of Ivory Coast star Yan Diomande, who prefers a move to PSG this summer.

Iraola and Hughes know each other well, with the Spaniard appointed as Bournemouth head coach in 2023 on the advice of Hughes, then technical director at the Cherries.

Hughes oversaw the appointment of Slot as Liverpool head coach in 2024, following the departure of Jurgen Klopp.

Slot won the Premier League in his first campaign but was sacked at the end of last season after a disappointing campaign.

Liverpool this week have officially agreed deals with Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper to be part of Iraola's backroom staff as first-team coaches at Anfield.

Pablo de la Torre joins as an assistant coach, with this now the fourth time he has worked with Iraola at a different club.

Tom Webber - who also worked with Iraola at Bournemouth - will join Liverpool too as first-team tactical coach after a decade in performance analysis at Bournemouth.