Hughes departed Anfield after just over two years in the role, having previously spent over a decade at Bournemouth, and has now signed for Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool's majority owner, has for some time been working through the process of identifying his successor, with FSG president Mike Gordon leading the search.
There is said to be no urgency behind the process. Former sporting director Julian Ward, who now serves as FSG's technical director, is considered one internal option, as is current assistant sporting director David Woodfine, while Pedro Marques and Matt Newberry are among the other internal candidates under consideration.
Externally, Christoph Freund is understood to sit high on Liverpool's wish list, though the Austrian has just signed a new contract extension with Bayern Munich, all but ruling him out.
Carlalberto Ludi, who has impressed at Italian club Como, has also caught the eye of Liverpool's hierarchy; Ludi joined Como when the club was playing in Serie D and has been part of the project throughout its rise to Champions League football. Brentford's technical director Lee Dykes and Bournemouth sporting director Tiago Pinto complete the list of names reportedly under consideration to replace Hughes.
Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola, who arrived from Bournemouth, is understood to have a strong relationship with Pinto, a connection that could work in the Portuguese executive's favour should the Cherries be willing to let him go.
Whoever is appointed will inherit responsibility for a Liverpool recruitment operation that has faced increasing scrutiny following a difficult 2025-26 campaign, in which the club surrendered the Premier League title despite record spending on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, and will need to work closely with Iraola as the club looks to rebuild momentum both domestically and in Europe.
Hughes's own departure follows that of Michael Edwards, who left his role as FSG's chief executive of football earlier in the year, meaning Liverpool's football operations department has now lost two of its most senior figures within a matter of months.
The club will be keen to have clarity over its new structure sooner rather than later, even if, as things stand, there is no fixed timetable for an announcement.