Richard Hughes may be leaving Liverpool after spending £449 million, extending Gakpo's contract, selling Diaz, and missing out on the Keï deal.
On 17 Mar 2026 GMT+7, Liverpool suffered a major blow as Richard Hughes, the sporting director, is reportedly set to join Al-Hilal after spending £449 million. Rumors say the deal is done, with only the contract signing left.
Hughes arrived together with coach Arne Slot in the summer of 2024. Despite a quiet transfer market, he managed the legacy left by former manager Jürgen Klopp, which had led Liverpool to the Premier League title.
This season, Hughes deployed a massive budget of £449 million—the highest in club history—while recouping about half through player sales. Among those sold was Luis Diaz, who was not replaced, while Dutch forward Cody Gakpo's contract was extended. However, performance was disappointing, with Liverpool falling to 5th place in the Premier League amid intense criticism of both the coach and management.
Hughes recently defended the club's transfer strategy in an interview with The Reds Roundtable, stating that all incoming players are top-level and expressing confidence that the team's performance will improve soon.
However, Ahmad Al-Ajlan, a prominent Saudi journalist, revealed on Twitter that Al-Hilal has reached an agreement with Hughes, with only the contract signing remaining. Once finalized, Hughes's assistant staff will immediately fly out to begin work, while Hughes himself will officially start his duties in the summer of 2026.