There’s no denying that Liverpool’s attack has looked sluggish under Andoni Illaura, but at the start of a new era and after some of the most difficult years, Liverpool are now on a seven-game unbeaten run under their new manager, who has proven over three years at Bournemouth that patience and trust can pay rich dividends when watching his system develop.
However, if investment does not increase in the coming years, it will stagnate and cease. Richard Hughes’ time as sporting director at Anfield has come to an end, a multi-year tenure that left much to be desired.
Now, Julian Ward is back in the role he held during the 2022/23 season, playing a major role in signing the likes of Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Alexis McAllister and Luis Diaz, laying much of the groundwork for the latter’s arrival.
He knows FSG and the club, which could pay dividends for Illaura’s team.
How Ward will improve Liverpool’s defense
Liverpool are revitalized in the Premier League. Well, sort of. Defensively, the team looks more secure and fluid, with the arrival of Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona and the £60m signing of Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes, as well as the revelations of Virgil van Dijk.
Ostensibly this is Van Dijk’s final year on Merseyside and he will be grateful to have a stronger backline than he has been forced to command over the past few years. Ward won’t have much to do in that regard, with Giovanni Leoni almost ready to return from injury and exciting 18-year-old Ifeanyi Ndukwe also on loan at Levante in Spain.
However, the sporting director must consider Liverpool’s flanks. Milos Kolquez and Jeremy Frimpong have both struggled as the Reds’ starting defenders so far this season, with Araujo being drafted in for the past three games to improve consistency. His ability on the ball is limited, but Liverpool have kept three consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League.
Feyenoord’s Givaro Reed has emerged as an exciting option to strengthen the club at right-back. The 20-year-old has been on Liverpool’s radar for some time and with Arsenal and Manchester City joining the race for the £20m star, FSG and Ward will need to show the kind of pace that has defined Liverpool’s strategy in the past.
How Ward will improve Liverpool’s midfield
Liverpool’s intermittence in midfield will pose Ward’s biggest problem. How to get things working again? The 45-year-old has shown an ability in the past to identify the players Liverpool are now hungry for, signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35m.
What a deal. The Argentina international may not have been Player of the Month under Arne Slott last year, but overall he has been a sensational signing for the club and is starting to approach the level he previously played with Iola, who needs a higher level of intensity this season.
But something is still missing. Fighting, creativity and culture on the ball. Ward could use Illaura’s links with Bournemouth to sign Alex Scott, who seems destined for a big-money move to one of England’s giants.
Scott, 23, has attracted a number of suitors this summer, with Chelsea particularly keen to seal a deal. Bournemouth have stood firm, valuing the silky versatile midfielder at £85m, but Liverpool can now start signing him next summer.
Ward has certainly laid the foundations for Diaz and Nunez, with Jurgen Klopp being the driving force behind the signings and his patience and attentiveness in winning top-flight goals could pay dividends in winning games for Scott.
How Ward will improve Liverpool’s attack
At the top, Liverpool already have some incredible quality. Wirtz joins Alexander Isak and recently signed Bradley Bakla to form an expensive front line. All three players have commanded nine-figure fees at Anfield since last summer.
However, Mohamed Salah’s place on the right wing still has not been directly replaced and it is no surprise that Ward returned to Brighton’s Jankuba Minter after Hughes’ failed attempt this summer.
Jankuba Minter in the Premier League | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* every 90) | 24/25 | 25/26 |
Game (start) | 32 (20) | 34 (26) |
Goals + assists | 6+4 | 3+4 |
Shot (hit the target)* | 1.1 (0.5) | 1.2 (0.3) |
missed opportunity | 8 | 4 |
Accurate pass* | 9.5 (69%) | 12.6 (68%) |
created huge opportunities | 8 | 11 |
Key Pass* | 0.9 | 1.4 |
success. Dribbling* | 1.4 | 1.9 |
Recovery rate* | 2.7 | 2.8 |
definition. contribute* | 2.7 | 2.6 |
Duel won* | 3.8 | 4.8 |
Known as a “rising star”Sadio Mane can be reached[‘s] grade“In the Premier League, one scout believes the Gambian striker has all the qualities to thrive at a club like Liverpool, being direct, dangerous and combative.
To be sure, his numbers could improve, but Ward has shown shrewdness in spotting untapped potential in the past, and while Minter’s fee will exceed the £70m the Seagulls have priced him in this summer, it could be worth it for a manager at Illaura who knows a thing or two about developing raw quality.
Liverpool have one of the most talented (and expensive) squads in world football, but Ward will have his work cut out for him over the coming period, removing much of the tactical balance that, frankly, will hinder Illaura’s pursuit of Premier League and Champions League titles this season.
All in all, Ward could lead another spending spree for the Reds, with the aforementioned trio sure to cost Liverpool at least £175m, but it’s clear Anfield now has a lot of missing pieces that need to be sorted out.