Liverpool are close to appointing a successor for the outgoing director of research Dr Ian Graham.
The Welshman, who heads up the Reds' highly-coveted data-driven analysis team, was first appointed in April 2012 and has been primarily responsible for the club's shrewd operation in the transfer window over the last decade.
However, Graham, who graduated from the University of Cambridge with a PhD in Physics, made Anfield officials aware of his desire to leave in November and is currently serving his notice period on Merseyside until the end of the season.
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A report in the Sunday Times claimed Liverpool are closing in on an appointment of Graham's heir, who has been labelled as a "leading operator in the football data field". While the process is not yet complete, sources have told the ECHO that Liverpool are indeed nearing an appointment.
The news of Graham's resignation came just days after the bombshell announcement that sporting director Julian Ward would be leaving his role at the club at the end of the season. Graham currently manages a six-man research team that adheres to Ward.
The data scientist was appointed by Ward's predecessor Michael Edwards, whom he had worked with during a consultancy position at Tottenham Hotspur while holding his role at business management company Decision Technology, over ten years ago and has since overseen the signings of Andy Robertson, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, and even the appointment of Jurgen Klopp in 2015 following reservations by some at Anfield after the German's subpar seventh season with Borussia Dortmund.
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