Liverpool fans have been left far from impressed with sporting director Richard Hughes, as he looks set to leave the club for a new opportunity in the coming months.
Richard Hughes, sporting director at Liverpool fc during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool
Liverpool fans are far from happy with sporting director Richard Hughes(Image: (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images))
Liverpool fans have been left fuming over reports surrounding Richard Hughes this summer, as the sporting director looks set to leave the club in the coming months.
Hughes, 47, has been in position with the Reds since 2024 as he looked to set the club on a new path after some impressive work in his time with Bournemouth.
With him in position, as well as the return of Michael Edwards, there was hope that Liverpool could kick on, though it would be a slow start for him and the recruitment team in position.
In his first window, the Merseyside club announced the arrival of manager Arne Slot with just one signing, as Federico Chiesa came into the setup as a potential bargain arrival in an otherwise settled team.
It appeared to be a masterstroke, as Liverpool won the league under the manager with a team that appeared to be working on the muscle memory of success from the past, with plenty of serial winners still left in the side.
That approach took a complete 180-degree turn in 2025, as the director went out and splashed the cash with some high-profile arrivals, such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitike, among others.
There wasn't any immediate success from such deals, though, and with Liverpool still recovering from the market, which Jamie Carragher recently suggested may be the worst transfer window of all time, it has been a difficult 2026 summer to follow.
That has come with the backdrop that Hughes is likely to leave in the near future, as reports continue to link him with a possible switch to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal.
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and head coach Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and head coach Andoni Iraola.(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
While nothing has been made official just yet, journalist Romain Molina confirms that the sporting director will leave Liverpool to join Al-Hilal in the coming months.
The reporter adds that Hughes has been overseeing some of the club's summer transfer business, though the extent of his involvement while still employed at Anfield is unclear.
It's a development that has frustrated Liverpool fans, considering the difficulties that the Reds have had in the market, still somewhat restricted by the business that was conducted last summer.
The arrivals of Jeremy Jacquet, Victor Munoz, and Ronald Araujo have plugged some gaps, while there is an expectation that Bradley Barcola will now join the group, but there are still glaring concerns in both full-back positions and in midfield.
"Shambles," one fan said on social media in response to the report. "An absolute mess," another fan described it as, with many venting their frustrations.
It remains to be seen what business Hughes and his team will be able to conduct before the transfer window closes, and, beyond that, what the timeline for his exit at the club may be.