Julian Ward will leave his role as Liverpool sporting director at the end of the season - with the Reds considering an overhaul of their transfer operations.
Ward has taken the shock decision having only succeeded Michael Edwards in the key position last summer after spending 18 months as his assistant.
It is understood Liverpool are surprised and disappointed at Ward signalling his intention to quit, but are mindful they have been informed with sufficient time to determine a possible successor.
LIVE: Julian Ward exit reaction and latest Liverpool updates
In the meantime, the Reds have no concerns at Ward continuing to help oversee the transfer strategy alongside head of scouting and recruitment Dave Fallows and chief scout Barry Hunter, similar to how Edwards had done before his departure.
Ward, who will have been at Liverpool for 11 years come next summer, has informed the Reds of his desire to take a break at the end of the season and has no intention of immediately leaving for another club.
He arrived from Manchester City in 2012 and spent five years as Liverpool's loan and pathways manager before being named assistant sporting director in December 2020.
Ward has played a key role in a number of transfers, with his Portuguese connections helping pave the way for Luis Diaz to arrive for £50million from Porto in January while he was a driving force behind the potential club record £85m capture of Darwin Nunez from Benfica during the summer.
The decision of Ward to quit represents the latest significant change behind the scenes at Liverpool. Owners Fenway Sports Group confirmed earlier this month they are exploring a possible sale of the club, with Mike Gordon taking a step back from the day-to-day running of the club and Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan assuming increased responsibilities.
And Liverpool will now use Ward's imminent exit as an opportunity to consider which model will be the most effective in supporting the future football operations - including transfers - at the club. Jurgen Klopp, who signed a new deal in April to extend his Reds commitment to 2026, will be part of the process, with Hogan also involved.
Liverpool are also still to appoint a club doctor after Jim Moxon left the position in August. Head of Academy Medical, Bevin McCartan, and club physician Sarah Lindsay have temporarily assumed the primary medical duties for the first team.
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