Mike Dean may have finally hung up his whistle but the renowned Merseyside official has not left the Premier League and will have a big part to play in next season.
Wirral resident Dean, 54, retired from top-level refereeing at the end of the 2021/22 campaign after 22 years, making him England's longest-serving referee. But he is set to return to the Premier League next season as a dedicated video assistant referee (VAR).
He will follow in the footsteps of Lee Mason, by becoming the second dedicated VAR referee to be appointed by the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL).