Michael Edwards is a 'genius' and his first big job in Liverpool's return has been identified

Former Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore has waxed lyrical about Michael Edwards after his return to the club was announced.

Edwards has been named the Reds' new chief football officer, having previously been a highly successful sporting director at Anfield.

He will oversee Liverpool's running as it prepares for life afterward. The departure of Jürgen Klopp at the end of the season.

Along with Richard Hughes, who is expected to be hired as the club's new director of football, Edwards will be tasked with identifying Klopp's successor.

Moore served as Liverpool CEO from 2017 to 2020 and is fully aware of the 44-year-old's capabilities at Liverpool, and revealed to talkSPORT what impact he will have on his return.

“Analytical genius,” he described Edwards about White and Jordan. “The ability to look at data and then look at the players. That's why I mention Dave Fallows and Barry Hunters, it's one thing to look at data, but you need boots on the ground and eyes on the field.

“It takes a village to do this and Michael built that team, these guys came from Man City if you remember, but he goes back to his days at Portsmouth (chief analyst from 2003 to 2009).

“It looks like Richard Hughes is coming from Bournemouth, so you'll be bringing back a squad that can support whoever the manager is.

“That makes internally, all the employees who work at the football club feel a little better about where we are, and then the hundreds of millions of fans around the world feel a little better because maybe things are going to turn around.” be okay”. .

“Because you remember, the day after Jürgen announced (that he was leaving the club) there was full-scale panic.”

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Signing Klopp's replacement will be a crucial task, but when it comes to players, Edwards will need to secure the futures of some of the club's biggest stars.

Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah will all see their current deals expire next summer, with Moore highlighting their renewals would be a big boost for the new manager.

“Let's not forget you have Virgil and Trent, and you have Mo on expiring contracts,” Moore added. “Whoever comes in, and Michael will be front and center of this, he has to get those deals done pretty quickly.

“Or not, but you don't need the Saudis to circle again, so you want to be able to block these players. You think about the experience of the veterans there, and I call Trent a veteran.

“Together with the academy boys who are coming in, you have a team that you can build as a new coach.

“But if you want your captain roped in, you want your global superstar Mohamed roped in and you want your local West Derby Scouser roped in, those are the three players that are on offer.”

Edwards was responsible for helping bring stars such as Van Dijk and Salah to Liverpool, and his return to the club will surely be a welcome sight for fans.

The club's future without Klopp as manager remains uncertain, but Edwards' appointment signals their intention to remain competitive at the top of English and European football.