Richard Hughes leaves Liverpool to become Al Hilal sporting director

Richard Hughes is the new sporting director of Al Hilal. The Saudi club made the appointment official on Monday, confirming the arrival of the executive who held the same role at Liverpool until last week. Hughes landed in Riyadh on Sunday and has already taken up his duties in a move that strengthens Saudi Arabia's push to recruit top-level European football talent.

• Al Hilal confirm Richard Hughes as sporting director after his Liverpool exit.
• Hughes stayed at Anfield until the end of the summer transfer window.
• The Scottish executive was instrumental in hiring Arne Slot as Jürgen Klopp's successor.
• Liverpool spent 269.6 million euros this summer, with Bradley Barcola the record signing.
• Al Hilal add another statement move after landing Gabriel Martinelli and Ollie Watkins.

What Al Hilal want from Richard Hughes

Al Hilal's board confirmed that the contract with Hughes has been finalised with a clear goal: raising the level of the sporting department. The Saudi club stated that the executive will help improve the quality of technical work, develop recruitment and scouting processes, and strengthen integration across all football-related areas.

Hughes leaves Liverpool less than two months after Michael Edwards stepped down as chief executive of football for Fenway Sports Group, the club's ownership group. Liverpool said on Saturday that Hughes wanted to pursue a new challenge.

Hughes' Liverpool legacy: from Bournemouth to Anfield

Richard Hughes arrived at Liverpool in 2024 from Bournemouth, where he had built a reputation as a meticulous executive with an eye for talent. At Anfield he took on the most delicate transition of the last decade: finding a replacement for Jürgen Klopp, the manager who had returned Liverpool to the European elite.

The gamble on Arne Slot paid off immediately. The Dutchman guided the team to the Premier League title in the 2024-25 season, vindicating Hughes' decision. However, the 2025-26 campaign was disappointing despite an outlay of 483 million euros on signings, and Slot was dismissed at the end of the season. Andoni Iraola, another figure with Bournemouth connections, was chosen to replace him.

Hughes' farewell: a record-breaking transfer window at Liverpool

Although his departure was widely expected, Hughes continued working for Liverpool until the transfer deadline. The Anfield club invested 269.6 million euros in reinforcements this summer, with Bradley Barcola as the headline signing: the French winger arrived from PSG for 125 million euros, the most expensive deal of the Scot's tenure.

Al Hilal are getting an executive used to handling large budgets and negotiating at the highest level of European football. In Saudi Arabia he will find a project in full sporting and economic expansion, with the resources to sign stars and the ambition to dominate Asian football.

Al Hilal, a Saudi giant undergoing transformation

Al Hilal are the most decorated club in Saudi Arabia, with 21 league titles and 4 Asian Champions League trophies in their cabinet. In recent months they have strengthened their squad with high-profile additions such as Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal and Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa, proving their ability to attract Premier League players.

The club is also undergoing a shift in its ownership structure. In April, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund sold a 70 percent stake in Al Hilal to Kingdom Holding Company, the firm controlled by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, a billionaire businessman and member of the Saudi royal family. Hughes' arrival fits into that new phase of professionalisation and growth.

Frequently asked questions about Richard Hughes joining Al Hilal