22 March 2023 , 21:28
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Paul Mitchell has opened the door to join Liverpool by officially confirming he will be standing down as Monaco’s Sporting Director.
The Reds are on the lookout for a new face behind the scenes after Julian Ward confirmed he would be departing Anfield at the end of the season. That announcement came as a surprise to Kop bosses, including manager Jurgen Klopp.
Ward had only replaced the highly respected Michael Edwards months previous and the smooth transition was seen as a major positive for the club moving forward. But Ward is now set to take on a role with Ajax ahead of what is a huge summer transfer window on Merseyside.
And reports from France have suggested that Mitchell is in the frame for Ward's position and
Klopp looks set for one of the busiest off-seasons he has had in recent years with his Liverpool squad in desperate need of a refresh. It is anticipated that there will be several high-profile departures at the end of the current campaign, which has seen the Reds fall away from contention both domestically and in Europe.
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Mitchell is one of the more well known transfer chiefs, having made his name with Southampton and Tottenham before joining Red Bull and RB Leipzig. He was then given the top job at Monaco in 2020, when he signed a contract which saw him tied to the Principality club until 2024.
Julian Ward (left) replaced Michael Edwards just last year, but is already set to move on (trainingground.guru)However, Mitchell has now confirmed he is in the process of sourcing his own replacement and will step down when the president deems the process completed. Asked if rumours about his plans to leave were true, he told “Yes. It was a very difficult decision.
“I loved my experience at this club. I have always felt a lot of support from President Dmitry Rybolovlev and the Principality. But I have spent a lot of time away from home and my loved ones in recent years. I feel that the mission I had, which was to rebuild the sports project, has been fulfilled.”
On a timeline for his exit, he added: “I have to find my successor, accompany him in his first steps in Monaco and guide him until we consider with the president that it is time to step back. We want the transition to be as smooth and consistent as possible.”
Paul Mitchell has confirmed he will be leaving Monaco (VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)Mitchell did warn that “not everything” being reported about his future was true and that for now he has full focus on his job with the Ligue 1 club. Speaking last year, the 41-year-old offered an intriguing insight into his process, when critiquing the direction Liverpool’s arch rivals Manchester United were taking.
“I think they do need to get to the point of really putting down what Manchester United needs to be in the modern game,” he told "We are a long time from the Sir Alex Ferguson era. Erik ten Hag is a top coach from Ajax but they need a top blueprint not only for now but for the next five years.
“I think we've seen that both Manchester City and Liverpool, that when you adopt that long-term strategy you can get real consistency and sustainable success.”