Liverpool’s sporting director Michael Edwards has turned down the opportunity to join Chelsea.
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea have been rebuffed in their attempts to rope in Michael Edwards. The Liverpool sporting director has turned down the opportunity to become the sporting director at Chelsea in the new season, even though he is set to depart Anfield at the end of the month.
Chelsea’s attempts to sign Edwards come into the midst of Bruce Buck’s exit as the club chairman. Marina Granovskaia has also announced her exit from Stamford Bridge, which has left Chelsea in a spot of bother, at least from an executive level. They are desperately looking to fill the vacancies in the coming weeks.
Although the role of chairman is going to be filled up by the new owner Todd Boehly, Chelsea need a new sporting director who can become the face of the club’s dealings in the transfer market going forward. Granovskaia had played the role brilliantly during his time at the club, but her exit has created a massive void in the Chelsea staff.
In an attempt to replace Granovskaia, the Blues had approached Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta, who is reportedly looking for a way out of Madrid this summer. While Berta is yet to respond, Chelsea have faced rejection in the pursuit of Michael Edwards.
The 43-year-old is considered one of the best in the business, having led Liverpool to unprecedented success during his time at Anfield. His partnership with Jurgen Klopp has seen the club flourish at the highest level of football, with the Reds seemingly establishing themselves as the second-best team in England.
In addition to guiding the success at Liverpool, Edwards has been the brains behind the acquisitions of Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Fabinho, among many others. Chelsea’s interest, therefore, hardly comes as a surprise, especially given the fact that Edwards is set to leave Anfield at the end of the month.
Liverpool have lined up Julian Ward as his desired replacement, with the new sporting director set to take over the reins from the start of July. But with Edwards rejecting a move to Chelsea, there is sure to be some speculation over his future in the coming weeks, as top clubs across Premier League look to lure the 43-year-old, who has an excellent management record.
