Richard Hughes Joins Al-Hilal as Sporting Director After Liverpool Exit

Al-Hilal have appointed Richard Hughes as sporting director following his departure from Liverpool, the Saudi Pro League club confirmed on Sunday. The 47-year-old moves to Riyadh after two years at Anfield and will work within a football operation led on the coaching side by former Inter manager Simone Inzaghi.

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The Guardian, reporting with Reuters, said Hughes joined Liverpool from Bournemouth in 2024. One of the major decisions during his time with the club was the appointment of Arne Slot as Jürgen Klopp's successor. Liverpool won the Premier League title in the 2024-25 season under Slot, who was later dismissed and replaced by Andoni Iraola in June.

Al-Hilal said Hughes's appointment formed part of an effort to strengthen the club's football system and develop its sporting structure through specialist expertise. The announcement gives the Saudi Pro League leaders an executive with recent experience in two English recruitment operations, following his spells at Bournemouth and Liverpool.

The move continues Al-Hilal's recruitment of figures with Premier League connections. According to the Guardian report, Gabriel Martinelli, Crysencio Summerville and Ollie Watkins joined the club this summer from Arsenal, West Ham United and Aston Villa respectively. Hughes will now help oversee a squad managed by Inzaghi, who arrived with experience from his time in charge of Inter.

Two Liverpool recruitment staff members are also expected to join Hughes in Saudi Arabia, the report said. Mark Burchill and Craig McKee moved from Bournemouth to Liverpool with Hughes two years ago and are now poised to reunite with him at Al-Hilal. Their anticipated moves would add further continuity to the recruitment group around the new sporting director.

Hughes's arrival gives Al-Hilal a permanent senior figure to shape sporting strategy after a summer in which the club added several players from England. His confirmed appointment is the latest step in that restructuring; the reported arrivals of Burchill and McKee have not yet been described as completed deals and remain prospective.