03 October 2023 , 11:35
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Monaco have confirmed the departure of Paul Mitchell after he was linked with the sporting director job at Liverpool.
The Reds have been looking for a new long-term sporting director since Michael Edwards stepped down during the summer of 2022. Edwards signed the likes of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson during his time in charge of Liverpool's transfer business.
Edwards' assistant Julian Ward initially succeeded his boss, but he stepped down ahead of last summer's transfer window. Jorg Schmadtke has since stepped into the role, but the German is expected to leave his position within the next 12 months.
Liverpool are hoping to find a long-term successor to Schmadtke and Mitchell could be the ideal candidate. The 42-year-old has been tipped for the job for a while now and is a free agent after Monaco confirmed his departure on Monday.
Monaco released a statement on Mitchell's exit. It read: "Paul Mitchell has helped to revitalise the club's sporting policy by implementing a number of changes, including qualification for the French Cup final and two European qualifiers in three seasons.
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"Recently, Paul Mitchell has been involved in ensuring a successful transition of the new team, leaving the club with solid foundations capable of achieving good results in the future. The club would like to thank Paul... for their commitment."
Mitchell was at Monaco for just over three years and has plenty of experience in football. The former Wigan star made nearly 200 professional appearances - reaching the Championship - before injuries forced him to retire early at the age of 27.
Mitchell responded to that disappointment by becoming MK Dons' head of recruitment in 2010. He moved to Southampton two years later to take up a similar position - helping them win promotion to the Premier League - before joining Tottenham in 2014.
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Mitchell played a huge role in Tottenham's success under Mauricio Pochettino by signing the likes of Dele Alli, Son Heung-min and Kieran Trippier. The recruitment expert joined German side RB Leipzig in 2018 before making the switch to Monaco.
Mitchell decided to leave Monaco at the beginning of the year before serving out a lengthy notice period. He's also been linked with Manchester United and has previously quashed speculation. Yet the situation has now changed following his Monaco exit.
"You can never say never," Mitchell, who is from Stalybridge in Greater Manchester, told The Athletic last year. "I am from England and one day - I am still relatively a young man - I will go back to the Premier League and to friends and family back there as well."
Mitchell added: "I see it as a great reflection not only of me but the people working here that brands like that are mentioned in the same sentence as myself."