Despite only officially starting his role as Liverpool's sporting director last Friday, it's been a busy couple of months for the newly-appointed Julian Ward.
Following Michael Edwards' decision to step down from his role as the Reds' chief transfer guru back in November, although he would hold his position until June, Ward has been tasked with following in the footsteps of the man who has been so key to Liverpool's stellar recruitment since 2017.
In January, Ward earned the first feathers in his cap as assistant sporting director when he was part of the entourage that helped complete an unexpected move for FC Porto's Luis Diaz after Tottenham stepped up their efforts to recruit the Colombian in the final days of the transfer window.
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Despite the swift coup of Diaz, supporters were understandably apprehensive ahead of Edwards' departure this summer given how influential he had been in repairing the relationship with Southampton after signing Virgil van Dijk in 2018 and bringing in other high-profile additions to Anfield during his tenure.
However, Edwards' apprentice has already exceeded expectations during his early days in the role of sporting director, having already made a statement by accumulating £41m from outgoings this summer, and that sum is only expected to increase with the departure of Neco Williams in the coming days.
On Thursday afternoon the ECHO reported that Liverpool and Nottingham Forest had come to an agreement for the Wales international, in a package worth £17m. It's a fee which represents further stellar business from all those involved in the club's transfer dealings, but especially Ward, with the defender having found life at Anfield tough as he was handed the impossible task of dislodging the ever-present Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool have been well prepared for the departure of the 21-year-old this summer, after his impressive second half of the season on loan at Championship side Fulham indicated there would be plenty of clubs interested in the defender in the upcoming window. Williams featured 15 times for Marco Silva's side and a string of exceptional performances in the second division saw both the Cottagers and Forest attempt to thrash out a deal with the Reds for his service.
The £17m fee the club are set to receive for Williams, who has been at the club since U9s, has allowed Klopp to bring in 18-year-old Aberdeen full-back Calvin Ramsay who will serve as Alexander-Arnold's understudy for the next couple of campaigns before looking to stake a serious challenge for the title as the club's first-choice right-back in years to come.
The departure of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich has without a doubt been the most testing period for Liverpool this summer as they were tasked with replacing a player who has played an instrumental role in the club's domestic and continental success since he joined in 2016. Having featured on the right, left and most recently down the centre, in Mane, Liverpool had a player who was capable of performing at a world-class level wherever he was deployed.
Though, testimony to Ward, even with Mane desperate to embark on pastures new following the Champions League final in Paris, the newly-appointed sporting director stood strong and rebuffed two bids from the Bundesliga side before finally negotiating a deal worth an initial £25m for the 30-year-old's services.
Takumi Minamino became the second permanent departure from Anfield this summer late last month as he followed Mane out of the Anfield exit. The Japan international had largely been largely restricted to cameo appearances during his two-and-a-half years on Merseyside as he struggled ever dislodge Mohamed Salah, Mane or Roberto Firmino, before Diaz and Diogo Jota leapfrogged him in Klopp's pecking order.
But following his starring role in the Reds' domestic cup double last season, Ward was met with plenty of interest in the 27-year-old this summer and was quick to strike a deal with Ligue 1 side As Monaco. It's a deal that suits all parties at this stage of the striker's career as Liverpool were able to recoup almost double their £7.25m from back in 2020 as a deal worth an initial £12.9m.
As Williams is expected to become the latest to leave Anfield this summer, it will be another feather in the cap of Ward as he officially ends his second week as Liverpool's transfer guru with a sizeable addition to their transfer pot.
