Liverpool is set for another few changes in the scouting and recruitment department, as Andrii Fedchenkov is the latest name set to join Julian Ward in the hierarchy
Andrii Fedchenkov
Andrii Fedchenkov looks set to join Liverpool
The backroom changes continue at Anfield, as Liverpool looks set to make yet more changes to the recruitment and scouting team that will power moves in the upcoming transfer markets.
Those switches behind the scenes began almost as soon as the recent summer transfer window closed, with then-sporting director Richard Hughes announcing his departure from the club to join Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. Craig McKee, the head of scouting operations, and Mark Burchill, one of the chief scouts, also left the club in the aftermath of that move.
That left a void for Fenway Sports Group to fill, after years of changes in the background, there was some need for stability. That's where a return for Julian Ward came in, as he was appointed sporting director for a second time, following his previous stint from 2022 until 2023.
There will be some hope that Ward can get Liverpool back to the top, having been part of the club's recruitment team through the glory years of Jurgen Klopp, which was built on making smart decisions in the transfer market.
Those smart decisions don't come without a proper backroom team that is capable of making the right judgment calls, and after a few exits in the recruitment team, some work has now been done to find replacements.
One of those who is set to join, as Andrii Fedchenkov. The Athletic reports that Liverpool is set to add the scout as part of the recruitment team, having been on the lookout for other options to help strengthen the department moving forward.
The 30-year-old has been operating as Flamengo's head of scouting since 2025, having previously held roles at Cardiff and PAOK, as well as Shakhtar Donetsk and Karpaty Lviv in his native Ukraine.
Fedchenkov is out of contract with Flamengo at the end of the current calendar year, meaning that Liverpool will not have to pay a fee to bring him into the recruitment setup.
The report also adds that sources at both Liverpool and Flamengo have described him as "data-driven" and "highly-organized", while the fact that he is multilingual also comes as a bonus.
The move comes as the latest key decision from Ward as sporting director, as he is tasked with bringing stability off the back of an uncharacteristic spending spree from the club in recent transfer windows.
Where Liverpool has often flourished is in finding value where others cannot, with Mohamed Salah often lifted up as the prime example of the scouting and recruitment model working well. While there is clearly star power within the team, with plenty spent on the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, and Bradley Barcola, fewer moves have been made elsewhere in terms of adding squad depth.
In creating a recruitment team that can find value again, some of those names may be better supported, as a greater emphasis is placed on physicality and availability during a brutal fixture schedule.
It remains to be seen how the second Ward era will play out, and whether Fedchenkov can help leave a mark on the club, but the processes are being put in place for change to be made.