Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are reportedly set to appoint Benfica technical director Pedro Marques as part of their restructure following Michael Edwards’ return to the club.
Edwards came back to Liverpool last month under the role of CEO of Football at FSG, where he will head up daily operations for the Reds.
As part of his new remit, Edwards will also oversee FSG’s desire to acquire a second football team, with the American group set to dip their toes into the world of multi-club ownership.
And, according to The Athletic, Marques – who FSG hope will provide skills and expertise on their multi-club ownership aims – is closing in on a deal to join the group.
Marques, who hails from Portugal, would be hired by FSG instead of Liverpool and they will also look to utilise his expertise in global talent-spotting.
Liverpool owners FSG are reportedly set to appoint Benfica technical director Pedro Marques
A move for Marques comes as part of a restructure after Michael Edwards’ (L) return to the club
The Portuguese started off at Sporting Lisbon in 2004, working across coaching, performance analysis and recruitment before he joined Manchester City as a first team analyst six years later.
At the Etihad, he worked with former Liverpool sporting director Julian Ward before switching to a role at City Football Group (CFG), where he held a coaching and analysis lead post.
Man City are part of CFG alongside 11 other clubs including Girona, New York City and Melbourne City.
The Athletic report also claims Marques’ vast experience in a multi-club model will be utilised to help FSG search for and manage a second club.
After leaving City, Marques moved onto Benfica in 2018 and became their youth technical director. His stock has continued to rise since as he moved up the ranks.
Marques became familiar to Liverpool during their talks to sign Darwin Nunez during the summer of 2022 and his pending appointment comes after Richard Hughes arrived as sporting director last month.
Edwards has already made his mark by appointing Richard Hughes as technical director
The changes in the club’s hierarchy come amid Jurgen Klopp’s pending departure this summer
The restructure at Liverpool comes after Jurgen Klopp announced he will leave the club at the end of the season following nine years in charge.
It promises to be a hectic summer at Anfield but for the meantime they will hope to end Klopp’s reign on a high.
The Reds currently sit top of the Premier League by two points, while they are also in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and won the Carabao Cup back in February.
They return to action on Thursday when they take on Sheffield United.
