Liverpool find themselves navigating a significant period of transition off the pitch, with sporting director Richard Hughes departing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal even as Andoni Iraola’s on-field project begins to show genuine signs of progress.
The Reds emphatically dispatched Ipswich Town in the Basque coach’s third match in charge, with Alexander Isak scoring twice following two earlier draws — a result that lifted spirits around Anfield ahead of Iraola’s maiden European fixture, a Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.
However, that positive momentum on the pitch is being tempered by growing instability behind the scenes, with the full scale of the recruitment department shake-up now becoming clear.
Al-Hilal confirmed Hughes’ appointment on Sunday evening, but he won’t be arriving in Saudi Arabia alone. Mark Burchill and Craig McKee, who both joined Liverpool alongside Hughes in the summer of 2024, have also departed for the same club.
The pair had worked closely with chief scout Barry Hunter within Liverpool’s recruitment division, overseeing the club’s transfer strategy across the 2025 and 2026 windows. At Al-Hilal, Burchill will take up the role of director of recruitment, while McKee becomes director of scouting.
“The appointment of Hughes came as part of Al-Hilal’s efforts to strengthen its football system and develop its sporting structure with specialised expertise,” the Saudi club said in a statement, adding that the move would help “raise the quality of technical work” and “enhance integration across all aspects related to the football sector.”
FSG president Mike Gordon is now leading the search for Hughes’ successor at Anfield.
Elsewhere, there are also early concerns regarding the development of one of Liverpool’s summer signings. Young defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe is yet to make his debut during his loan spell at Levante, despite having impressed during Liverpool’s pre-season campaign after arriving from Austria Wien and featuring in every match. Across three league fixtures so far, the 18-year-old has been overlooked in favor of Adrian Dela and Aissa Mandi.
The loan was effectively forced upon Liverpool after they were unable to secure a work permit for Ndukwe due to his lack of top-flight experience — a situation governed by the Governing Body Endorsement points system.
He will qualify for a GBE after making a single La Liga appearance, and Liverpool have inserted a break clause into the deal that would allow him to return in January once he accumulates sufficient points. For now, though, regular game time appears difficult to come by, raising the risk that the loan could ultimately prove of little benefit to either player or club.