Report reveals what truly unfolded between Jürgen Klopp and Michael Edwards before the latter’s 2022 Liverpool departure
The marquee signing of Darwin Núñez in the summer of 2022 is often viewed as a defining moment that showcased Jürgen Klopp’s growing influence over Liverpool’s transfer decisions—an influence that may have played a role in the departure of highly respected sporting director Michael Edwards later that year.
Although Edwards publicly stated that his exit had been planned after ten years at the club and was motivated by his belief in change, reports have suggested that underlying disagreements existed between Klopp’s personal preferences and Liverpool’s data-led recruitment philosophy.
According to James Pearce of The Athletic, Klopp was adamant about signing Núñez for £64 million from Benfica, despite resistance from the club’s analytics team, which favored data-backed alternatives such as Christopher Nkunku or Alexander Isak. Former director of research Ian Graham later confirmed that while data models had rated both Núñez and Isak highly, Klopp’s insistence on Núñez created tension within the recruitment setup.
Nonetheless, there were reportedly no major conflicts, and both Edwards and his successor Julian Ward eventually left their roles, citing exhaustion after years of service.
Addressing speculation about a power struggle between Klopp and Edwards, Pearce explained:
> “It’s fair to say that as Klopp’s tenure and success grew, so did his influence—especially in recruitment. The signing of Darwin Núñez was a clear example, as it was largely driven by Klopp. Ian Graham has mentioned that it wasn’t a data-led choice, with Nkunku and Isak being two of the alternatives proposed. There was some friction, but no major fallouts. Edwards and Ward simply felt burned out after over a decade at the club.”
Klopp’s record in player recruitment has not always been his strongest area. As revealed by Graham, Klopp initially preferred Julian Brandt over Mohamed Salah in 2017, and it took persistent persuasion from Edwards and the analytics team to change his mind—an outcome that proved decisive in Liverpool’s later success.
Meanwhile, Edwards and his data team built an impressive track record of analytical signings, earning a reputation as some of football’s smartest operators. Edwards returned to Liverpool in 2024 as CEO of Football for FSG, overseeing a record-breaking transfer window alongside new sporting director Richard Hughes—one that saw the club spend nearly £500 million on elite talents, including Alexander Isak.