Michael Edwards will face the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand when he takes his seat in the Old Trafford directors’ box on Sunday and, for the man charged with hiring Jürgen Klopp’s successor at Liverpool, the big red letters spelling out the name of Manchester United’s greatest manager will offer a reminder of the daunting task he has taken on at Anfield.
United are still attempting to replace Ferguson, 11 years after he stepped down following a 13th Premier League title in the space of 20 years. Erik ten Hag became the fifth permanent manager appointed by United since 2013 when he arrived from Ajax in 2022 and, with the team struggling to qualify for next season’s Champions League, it appears increasingly likely the club will roll the dice and hire No. 6 this summer.
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Avoiding the succession nightmare that United have endured is the big challenge for Edwards, Liverpool’s former sporting director who last month returned to the club after a two-year absence in a new role as CEO of Football for Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liverpool’s owners. But while United have been criticised for the mistakes made since Ferguson stepped down, some were out of their control. There is already a sense that Liverpool are hitting similar, unavoidable problems.
When David Moyes was announced as Ferguson’s successor, 24 hours after confirmation of the Scot’s retirement following 27 years in charge, the then-Everton manager was pitched as “The Chosen One,” with the PR spin projecting him as Ferguson’s handpicked replacement. But the reality is that Moyes was United’s sixth choice due to the club being either too slow to seal the deal with more qualified candidates or rejected by those who preferred other options.
United were in a crowded market for a new boss in the spring of 2013. Real Madrid and Chelsea had already set the wheels in motion to recruit Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho, respectively. Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, had made it clear to Ferguson following a dinner in New York City, that he was planning to return from a 12-month sabbatical after leaving Barcelona to take charge of Bayern Munich that summer. United spoke to Klopp while he was in charge at Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, but neither could be persuaded to move to Old Trafford. So it was Moyes who ended up with the dubious honour of following a legendary manager; he was fired within a year.
With Klopp telling FSG in November that he would be leaving this summer — Ferguson told United in the February of his final season — Liverpool have had plenty of time to find a new manager, but Edwards’ return last month was the real start of the process. There has already been one significant bump in the road with Xabi Alonso ruling himself out of the running by pledging his future to Bayer Leverkusen. Alonso, a Champions League winner as a player with Liverpool and Bayern, is widely regarded as the game’s emerging coaching star after taking Leverkusen to the brink of their first-ever Bundesliga title in his first full season as a manager, but both Liverpool and Bayern were told last month, prior to his formal announcement, that the 42-year-old was leaning toward staying at the BayArena. So like United in 2013, Liverpool have seen a top target remove himself from the equation.
The picture is now further complicated by two other candidates — Brighton & Hove Albion’s Roberto De Zerbi and Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim — being wanted by heavyweight rivals. Bayern have a strong interest in De Zerbi while Barcelona are keen on Amorim. Sources have told ESPN that Edwards and recently appointed sporting director Richard Hughes, backed up by the data analysis of Liverpool director of research Will Spearman, have identified both De Zerbi and Amorim as leading candidates to succeed Klopp, but the Anfield side by no means have a clear run to either of them.
As compelling as the challenge of managing Liverpool might be, reviving the fortunes of Barcelona or Bayern will also score highly for any top coach and the picture could be further complicated for Liverpool if United and Chelsea enter the market for a new manager this summer as well. United were beaten to Ancelotti, Guardiola and Mourinho in 2013 and ended up with the wrong man in Moyes. If Liverpool suffer the same fate by missing out on De Zerbi and Amorim following Alonso’s decision to stay at Leverkusen, where else could they turn?
Pep Lijnders, a highly rated member of Klopp’s coaching team, has already been ruled out with the club confirming the Dutchman will leave with Klopp this summer. Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has been linked with the job, but the former RB Leipzig and Bayern boss is likely to be tied up with the national team until mid-July due to Euro 2024 — a timescale which will not suit either party. Out-of-work coaches with big club experience include Mourinho, Zinedine Zidane, Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel, who will leave Bayern this summer, but they all have more negatives than positives for the Liverpool job. Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was the next big thing in management when he guided Rangers to the Scottish title in 2021, but an unsuccessful 12 months as Aston Villa manager damaged his prospects and he is now managing Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia and anything but a serious contender to replace Klopp.
If Edwards and Liverpool are able to move quickly and decisively for their No. 1 choice, they will give themselves the best possible chance of avoiding the pitfalls that befell United after Ferguson. But Alonso’s exit from the race, combined with Barcelona and Bayern eyeing the potential alternatives, highlights how things can go wrong.
United are still paying a heavy price for failing to get it right in 2013, but Liverpool are already discovering that replacing a legend is no easy task.