One of Julian Ward’s first tasks when replacing Michael Edwards as Liverpool sporting director has been to refresh the Reds’ front-line. Considering Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were all the wrong side of 30 and out of contract in 2023, it’s easy to see why that has been a priority for Anfield bosses.
Mane made Liverpool’s job easier for them by departing in a potential £35m transfer to Bayern Munich, but it remains to be seen what the Reds will do with the Egyptian and Brazilian as they enter the final year of their contracts. Regardless of whether they agree new terms or not, with Divock Origi also exiting and Takumi Minamino set to follow, it’s clear that Ward has started to implement the club’s plan for life beyond their once untouchable front three.
He had already started to put together Liverpool ’s new-look attack for 2022/23 back in January, truth be told, after signing Luis Diaz six months earlier than originally planned, before agreeing a deal with Fulham for Fabio Carvalho after running out of time to conclude a mid-season deal on transfer deadline day. Meanwhile, Mane’s desire to leave the club saw the Reds bring in Darwin Nunez from Benfica in a deal that could potentially be worth a club-record £85m.
