Fenway Sports Group don’t make statements often. When they do, it’s usually about big changes.
Liverpool is already one step ahead of its rivals, and Michael Edwards is hinting at something even bigger for FSG. Just a few months ago, it seemed impossible that he would be back in charge at Liverpool.
When Jürgen Klopp decided to leave his role as manager at the end of the season, fans were understandably worried about what would happen next. But few credited the idea that Edwards might come back to play a role.
He played a big part in helping Liverpool win the Premier League and Champions League during his first stint at the club. But it was clear that Edwards didn’t want to become sporting director again just two years after leaving.
Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Chelsea all wanted him at various points during his time away from Liverpool. Chelsea was especially keen, with the owners willing to let him head up the entire football operation.
FSG is always open to new ideas, and Edwards travelled to Boston for discussions about a newly-formed CEO of Football role. This position will see him effectively taking over from FSG president Mike Gordon, who is Klopp’s closest boardroom-level ally at Liverpool.
A key part of this plan involves buying another football club. Whether this expands into a wider multi-club approach is yet to be seen.
As Edwards said: “One of the biggest factors in my decision is the commitment to acquire and oversee an additional club. I believe that to remain competitive, investment and expansion of the current football portfolio is necessary.”
This statement makes it clear what FSG’s next move is. However, this probably wasn’t the main focus before Klopp decided to leave and the club didn’t need a major overhaul.
Instead of trying to replace like-for-like, which can only get you so far before you’re left with a diluted talent pool, FSG are trying to forge a new path. That makes sense.
How you feel about ownership groups having majority stakes in more than one club is a personal matter. Some people might not like the idea of buying clubs with rich histories and turning them into feeder clubs for higher-ranking teams.
Then again, Tony Bloom, the owner of Brighton and Hove Albion, would probably say that Union Saint-Gilloise, the Belgian team he also owns, is doing better than ever. And he’d be right.
Union Saint-Gilloise has been a great help to Brighton, giving talented players a chance to move from smaller leagues to the Premier League. Kaoru Mitoma is a perfect example of this.
