Liverpool look set to appoint Jorg Schmadtke as the club’s new sporting director.
The Reds are looking for the right candidate following the departure of Michael Edwards last summer and the swift exit of his successor Julian Ward.
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According to the Telegraph, the veteran German football executive has emerged as the frontrunner with talks between the Premier League side and the 59-year-old accelerating.
Schmadtke started his career with Aachen in 2001 before joining Hamburg and FC Cologne, while having most recently worked for German outfit Wolfsburg.
A close ally of Jurgen Klopp, Schmadtke will work closely with long serving chief scouts Dave Fallows and Barry Hunter.
As well as being renowned for getting value for the budgets which he is assigned, the German is known for his outspoken personality.
German football expert and talkSPORT regular Kevin Hatchard took to social media to deliver his verdict on the appointment, saying: “Very experienced, but can also be abrasive and unpopular.
“Klopp would know him well, of course, so must be prepared to accept the bad with the good.
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“Did super work at Aachen and Hannover, improved things in the background at Köln, while Wolfsburg was a mixed picture.”
Asked if he will be a positive appointment, Hatchard replied: “I think so.
“Loads of good contacts, and because Klopp has lots of power, the balance should be okay.”
