Paris Saint-Germain are poised to swoop for Liverpool's outgoing transfer guru Michael Edwards in the hope that he'll be able to replicate the success he's enjoyed at Anfield.
Edwards has played a pivotal part in the Reds resurgence during his decade-long stint on Merseyside. The 42-year-old announced back in November that he was set to depart the club in order to seek a new challenge.
Interest was always likely to be fierce in the sporting director as a result of the string of impressive deals that Edwards has helped to engineer since he was appointed back in 2011. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane are just a handful of names who have gone onto etch their name into Reds folklore after being brought to the club by Edwards; as well as Jurgen Klopp.
And according a new report from The Telegraph, PSG are keen to hire Edwards in a similar role in a bid to finally achieve the European domination that the club's Qatari owners so desperately crave. The French giants are in turmoil after they were dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid as a result of a remarkable second-leg capitulation.
That result is set to be terminal for Mauricio Pochettino - despite the fact that PSG are currently cruising to the French title. But the result has also put the club's current sporting director, Leonardo, at risk. The former Brazil star has assembled an all-star cast at the Parc des Princes and is set to pay the ultimate price for failing to bring a European crown to Paris during his tenure.
While Edwards has admirers in Paris, and is set to be available at the end of the season, he isn't the only name currently being considered by PSG as they bid to regroup from a disappointing campaign. A number of other top candidates from Europe are also in the frame, including Atletico Madrid's Andrea Berta, who, like Edwards, has also achieved success in recouping significant sums for players.
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Sassuolo's director of football, Giovanni Rossi is also being considered for the whole, while former Newcastle midfielder, Hugo Viana - who has played a crucial role in Sporting Lisbon's renaissance in Portugal - is also admired by the PSG hierarchy.
Whoever does get the nod will embark on a huge job in Paris, with PSG poised to rip things up and start again in their pursuit of Champions League glory. If the club do dispense with Pochettino's services, then sourcing an elite manager will be an early test of the new director's credentials.
In the wake of Edwards pre-planned departure from Anfield, the Reds director has been working alongside his successor, Julian Ward this season. Ward has taken on more responsibility in recent months to ensure a smooth transition, and he led the negotiations in the deal to bring Luis Diaz to the club in January.
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