LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool’s restructuring of its technical staff continued Wednesday when the club hired Richard Hughes as sporting director starting June 1.

Hughes is leaving his role as technical director at Bournemouth to take up the post at Liverpool after previously working with Michael Edwards, who was hired last week as chief executive of football at Fenway Sports Group — the U.S.-based conglomerate whose portfolio of sports teams includes Liverpool.

Hughes’ main task will be identifying a replacement for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who said in January that he will be stepping down after nearly nine years as manager.

“It is clear to everyone that Jurgen will leave a legacy to build upon,” Edwards said, “and in Richard we have the right person to make the key decisions and offer the leadership to take us forward into a bright future.

“As one very successful chapter will come to a close for Liverpool in the summer, the objective of everyone here is for another one to begin — and with Richard I am confident we have the right person in position for us to achieve this aim.”

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The 44-year-old Hughes is a former Scotland midfielder who played his club soccer for Bournemouth and Portsmouth, where Edwards worked as an analyst. He has led Bournemouth’s soccer operations for the past decade.

Hughes described Liverpool as a “unique club” and said his role would be to make “good decisions which enhance the prospects of having a team that wins and excites the supporters.”

Among those linked with replacing Klopp is Xabi Alonso, who currently coaches German league leader Bayer Leverkusen and used to play for Liverpool.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer