Liverpool are going through a major revamp behind the scenes as concern grows over a summer transfer and Andoni Iraola prepares for his first Champions League clash
Andoni Iraola will be hoping to record back-to-back wins with Liverpool after beating Ipswich Town as Atletico Madrid are next up at Anfield.
The Spanish boss will be managing the first Champions League match of his career on Wednesday evening, just days after an Alexander Isak double downed newly-promoted Ipswich in a 2-0 victory for the Reds at Portman Road.
But there are still some worries behind the scenes as off-field upheaval persists in Merseyside. Sporting director Richard Hughes has departed the club for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal and Liverpool have also authorised two additional departures. Meanwhile, there may be mounting concern over a player just a few matches into the season. Here’s all the latest news from Anfield.
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Two more departures confirmed
Al-Hilal announced the appointment of Richard Hughes as their new sporting director and Mark Burchill and Craig McKee, who joined Liverpool with Hughes in the summer of 2024, have also exited for the Saudi-based team.
The pair had collaborated with chief scout Barry Hunter in the recruitment department, supervising the club’s transfer dealings during the 2025 and 2026 transfer windows, reports the Mirror.
At Al-Hilal, Burchill will take up the position of recruitment director, while McKee will assume the role of scouting director. Official confirmation of Hughes’ switch arrived a day after news broke that he would be departing his position at Anfield, having arrived from Bournemouth two seasons prior.
Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon is leading the hunt for a replacement sporting director. In a statement published on their official website on Sunday evening, Al-Hilal said: “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.
“This will contribute to raising the quality of technical work, developing recruitment and scouting processes, and enhancing integration across all aspects related to the football sector.”
Worry over summer transfer emerges
Liverpool may harbour early doubts regarding Ifeanyi Ndukwe’s loan stint at Levante, with the promising defender yet to feature.
The 18-year-old made the move to La Liga during the summer transfer window in a bid to gain valuable experience, while also seeking the chance to secure work permit eligibility.
The centre-back shone throughout Liverpool’s pre-season campaign, featuring from the start in every fixture. But across all three matches of his loan spell thus far, Ndukwe has been confined to the bench, with Adrian Dela and Aissa Mandi getting the nod ahead of him.
Ndukwe’s loan was essentially imposed upon the Reds, as the club were unable to obtain a work permit for the defender owing to his absence of top-flight experience. Work permits are issued through a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), which requires the player to accumulate sufficient points to feature in specific competitions.
Ndukwe will qualify for a GBE once he starts one match in La Liga. Liverpool also possess a potential break clause in the loan arrangement, meaning he could return to the club in January, should he earn the necessary points total.
Nevertheless, early indications suggest that playing time for the youngster may prove difficult to secure. Put simply, if he fails to obtain the minutes needed then the loan will have been a rather futile exercise for both player and club.