Liverpool have targeted recruitment expert Paul Mitchell for a senior football role, with talks to take place in the coming weeks, as they undergo an overhaul of the staff around Jurgen Klopp.
The Anfield club have faced an upheaval in their technical staff over the last year, with Michael Edwards leaving in the summer and Julian Ward now set to follow.
Mitchell has meanwhile become one of the most respected figures in recruitment across Europe and has recently confirmed that he will be leaving AS Monaco, after a previous role at Leipzig.
“Yes, it was a very difficult decision,” the 41-year-old told Nice Matin. “I loved my experience at this club. I have always felt a lot of support from President Dmitry Rybolovlev and the Principality.
“But I have spent a lot of time away from home and my loved ones in recent years. I feel that the mission I had, which was to rebuild the sports project, has been fulfilled.”
Liverpool have marked Mitchell as a potentially ideal replacement, although Jurgen Klopp would naturally have a say in who comes in.
The Anfield club would face significant competition for the former Wigan Athletic player, potentially from their greatest rivals.
It is understood that if INEOS are successful in buying Manchester United from the Glazers, they would see Mitchell as a perfect fit for their own football structure, having already sketched out what it would look like.