BREAKING NEWS: coming live from Fabrizio Romano, ” Liverpool are working to hire the man who helped Manchester City’s multi-club model take off, Benfica’s current technical director according to a report. In a “pivotal” move, Liverpool’s owners have turned to a star from Manchester City to help the club expand its global reach. The shocking appointment is seen as a “turning point” for the club, as it looks to build on its recent “success”. The experienced figure is expected to bring a “fresh perspective” to the challenges facing Liverpool.
Liverpool is reportedly in the process of recruiting Pedro Marques, Benfica’s current technical director, who played a significant role in Manchester City’s multi-club model. Marques departed City in 2018 to assume a position at Benfica, initially serving as a youth technical director responsible for player development up to the B-team level and facilitating their transition into the first team. However, it is Marques’ tenure at City Football Group (CFG) that is of particular interest to Liverpool.
Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s former sporting director, has returned to the club’s parent company, FSG, as CEO of Football. One of his primary objectives is to establish and oversee a new multi-club model capable of rivaling CFG’s existing framework. Edwards emphasized the necessity of investment and expansion in the football portfolio to maintain competitiveness upon his reappointment.
Marques played a pivotal role in coordinating CFG’s global expansion, leveraging his extensive experience in various capacities. He initially joined City as a first-team performance analyst under managers Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini before being promoted to Global Lead for Football Performance in 2014. In this role, Marques spearheaded CFG’s expansion initiatives, developing coaching methodologies and performance analysis for City and its affiliated clubs, including New York City FC, Melbourne City, Yokohama F. Marinos, Girona, and Torque. Since its inception in 2013, CFG has acquired ownership stakes in 12 clubs worldwide.
Prior to his tenure at City, Marques gained experience at Sporting CP, where he began his career as a coach, performance analyst, and recruitment department staff member. Reports suggest that Marques would not be directly employed by Liverpool but would instead work for the ownership group directly, according to sources from the Athletic.
Marques’ potential appointment represents another significant step in Liverpool’s ongoing restructuring following the departure of Jurgen Klopp. Edwards is reportedly on the verge of naming Richard Hughes, the technical director of Bournemouth, as Liverpool’s new sporting director. Plans are also underway to announce Klopp’s successor, with Xabi Alonso emerging as a leading candidate for the managerial position.
Marques is already familiar to key figures at Liverpool, having been involved in the negotiation that brought Darwin Nunez from Lisbon to Anfield in 2022. His expertise and experience in club development and global expansion could prove invaluable to Liverpool as they seek to strengthen their position in the football landscape.
