Liverpool have officially confirmed Julian Ward as their new sporting director, bringing him back to Anfield for a second spell in the role.

Ward moves across from his most recent job as technical director at Fenway Sports Group to succeed Richard Hughes, who left for Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal at the end of the summer transfer window.

It's a familiar return for the 45-year-old, whose ties to the club go back more than 14 years, briefly holding the post as sporting director during Jurgen Klopp's reign before leaving in 2023.

Ward will have no shortage of big decisions to make once he settles back in on Merseyside.

Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Joe Gomez, Kostas Tsimikas and Wataru Endo are all out of contract next summer. After Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate all walked away on free transfers this summer, the club can't afford to lose more experience for nothing.

As we revealed this week, Alexis Mac Allister, whose deal expires in 2028, is the player most likely to miss out. Ward doesn't plan to offer the Argentine a new deal despite his return to form this season. Instead, the 27-year-old is likely to be sold at the end of the campaign, with the new boss determined not to repeat Hughes' mistake of letting key players run down their contracts.

Ward sees Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai as long-term fixtures in the middle of the park, and wants a specialist defensive midfielder to play alongside them, with Monaco's Lamine Camara believed to be the man at the top of his list.

Liverpool identify new right-back as top priority

Midfield isn't the first thing on the agenda however. Football FanCast sources understand Ward and Gordon are in full agreement that the first priority is a new right-back.

The hope was that Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley could fill the void left by Trent Alexander-Arnold between them, but Bradley has been hampered by injuries and Frimpong's qualities are more suited to a wing-back role.

Ronald Araujo has stepped in and impressed at right-back, but he's a natural centre-back, and the fee of around £47m required to make his loan move permanent is seen as excessive to put a square peg in a round hole.

A Liverpool source told us: "Liverpool have been delighted by the signing of Araujo but believe a world class right-back is a requirement next summer."

Who could Liverpool sign?

The Reds are not expected to be active in the winter window, but one name to watch is Feyenoord's Givairo Read. Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City all have long-standing interest in the Dutch right-back.

Read has racked up five assists in just seven Eredivisie appearances this season, and scouts have been particularly impressed by his playmaking ability from out wide, a quality Liverpool have missed since Alexander-Arnold's exit.

With Arsenal and City also circling, Liverpool would face stiff competition for Read's signature, but if his form continues, he could be exactly the kind of "world class" option Ward is looking for when the club go shopping next summer.