Fenway Sports Group (FSG), owner of Liverpool Football Club, has appointed Michael Edwards as CEO of the Premier League team.
In his new role, Edwards will be tasked with supporting the growth of FSG in global football through additional investment and acquisition.
In addition, he will spearhead efforts to identify and recruit new leadership for Liverpool’s football operation, a crucial step following Jurgen Klopp‘s decision to depart the club at the season’s end.
The new CEO will report directly to FSG’s ownership group, led by Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, and President Mike Gordon.
Prior to this role, Edwards served as the Sporting Director at Liverpool until 2022, during which the club experienced a remarkable period of success. Under his guidance, Liverpool secured seven major titles, including the UEFA Champions League trophy, and ended a 30 year wait to become English top-flight Champions.
“Michael is one of the most formidable executive talents in world football and John, Tom, and I are absolutely thrilled to have secured his services for our business,” Mike Gordon, FSG President, commented.
“He returns to us in a role with greater seniority than he held previously and with a wider remit. It was clear when we initially reached out to him that a broader scope would be a key motivating factor for any potential return to the industry. In this regard – and many others – his ambitions matched ours.”
Additionally, the appointment surfaces a new model that the Merseyside club are exploring, the multi-club ownership model.
An ownership model that has proven to be successful for fellow Premier League club Manchester City. The team’s parent company, the City Football Group, partly owns 13 clubs spanning across various countries including France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Australia, India, America, Brazil, Uruguay, and Bolivia.
Most recently, Newcastle’s Co-owner Amanda Staveley announced her thoughts on multi-club ownership at the the Bloomberg Power Players’ summit in Saudi Arabia, sharing that it is a concept the club is looking into.
Edwards said. “I was humbled by the desire and persistence they showed in wanting to work with me again. This is definitely not something that I take for granted given their track record across sport and business.
“It was vital for me that, if I did return, it had to be with renewed vigour and energy. In practice, this means having fresh challenges and opportunities. As such, one of the biggest factors in my decision is the commitment to acquire and oversee an additional club, growing this area of their organisation. I believe that to remain competitive, investment and expansion of the current football portfolio is necessary.”
As part of the appointment, Edwards will take over from Gordon, who will return to a more traditional role in ownership.
Gordon added: “As an organisation we constantly strive for improvement in our football operation, whether that be identifying fresh opportunities externally or areas for enhancement internally, and there is no better person to lead that ongoing process.
“In keeping with this objective, he will take over responsibilities I have previously held regarding oversight and management of Liverpool’s football operation.”
Edwards commented on Gordon’s work: “I know from personal experience what a wonderful job Mike Gordon has done with day-to-day oversight on behalf of his fellow owners.
“Having served the club previously I need no reminder of how much emotional investment is made by supporters in the city itself, as well as across the UK and the world. I am looking forward to getting started.”
