Liverpool are set to appoint football executive Jorg Schmadtke as the club’s new sporting director.
Schmadtke has worked in similar roles across German football across the past two decades, working with Aachen, Hamburg, Koln and most recently with Wolfsburg. The Reds have been prioritising the position following the exits of Michael Edwards and Julian Ward last year.
The 59-year-old enjoyed a 13-year playing career as a goalkeeper, most notable for his stint with Fortuna Dusseldorf, and is a figure familiar with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp. Talks are said to have accelerated with Liverpool over recent weeks and Schmadtke now looks set to play a key role in the club’s transfer dealings.
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A report in the Telegraph outlines how an agreement is imminent between the two parties in a move that will play a key role in shaping Liverpool's transfer policy from this summer onwards.
The move will represent a significant shift for Liverpool, whose recruitment has been widely heralded since Klopp’s arrival in October 2015. It is believed that Schmadtke and the Reds boss share a close relationship and will work in tandem should the appointment be formalised.
The club have been hit with a series of high-profile departures in the past year who held influential roles in player recruitment. Alongside the departures of Edwards and Ward, Fenway Sports Group executive Mike Gordon, who played a leading role, has also stepped back.
The report adds that Schmadtke will now become an influential figure in terms of recruitment and will work closely alongside the club’s experienced scouts Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter. It comes ahead of a huge summer for Liverpool.
Klopp’s side are on course to miss out on Champions League qualification while they will finish the season trophyless. There is a strong sense that a squad overhaul is required, with midfield a particular area of focus.
Schmadtke has a reputation in Germany for being somewhat of a prickly figure with managers. Following his exit from Wolfsburg, he said in an interview with Kicker: “There are technical things, it’s about the job.
“And there are things outside of the job that I don’t have a problem with. There are even people who want to see me again and have a coffee or a beer with me. I’m not as big an a** as you may think.”
