Liverpool bring back Julian Ward: Every signing from his first spell rated

23 Sept 2026 08:15 BST | 5 min read

Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Liverpool — © IMAGO

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

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Liverpool are ready to bring back Julian Ward to Anfield to serve as sporting director following the exit of Richard Hughes.

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It is a role that Ward knows well, having performed the job under Jurgen Klopp in the 2022/23 season, with the 45-year-old securing a series of big-name signings who have subsequently gone on to establish themselves as key figures at the club.

With The Athletic indicating that an announcement is ‘expected’ confirming the Englishman’s return to Liverpool, FootballTransfers looks at the permanent signings he made during his previous stint at the club.

Who did Julian Ward sign for Liverpool?

Luis Diaz - €49m from Porto

January 2022

Tottenham were expected to sign Luis Diaz before Ward produced a transfer hijack that proved a masterstroke to secure his first Liverpool signing.

Colombia international Diaz instantly became a favourite at Liverpool and would go on to play 148 times for the club over a span of three-and-a-half years. During that time, he scored 41 goals and created 23 more.

Liverpool sold him for €70m and at Bayern Munich, Diaz has since gone on to become the best player in the world, according to SciSports’ SciSkill measurement, which is drawn from in-game data points.

In conducting this deal, Ward showed his ability to spot a player worth pursuing, get value for him and wrestle him away from a direct rival.

TRANSFER RATING: A+

Darwin Nunez - €85m from Benfica

July 2022

Liverpool’s next raid on Portuguese football was not so successful. Darwin Nunez might have won the affection of many fans due to his work ethic, but his impact in front of goal did not match, with the Uruguay international guilty of spurning too many big opportunities to establish himself as a true Liverpool-standard player.

The price paid for the striker was also mind-bogglingly large, showing Benfica’s excellence in sales negotiations. Nunez had enjoyed just one 20-goal season in his career when the Reds splashed out so much on him.

Ultimately, the damage was limited when he moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for €53m, but he also struggled to shine there and has subsequently moved to Al-Diriyah on loan.

TRANSFER RATING: C-

Current ETV

Darwin Núñez

F (C), AM (L)

Al Draih

Darwin Núñez

F (C), AM (L)

Al Draih

ETV Range

€17.5M - €21.4M

Fabio Carvalho - €9.4m from Fulham

July 2022

The signing of Carvalho was a speculative one after the 19-year-old had scored 10 goals in the Championship for Fulham.

He was a fringe player for the single season he spent at the club before moving to RB Leipzig and then Hull City on loan. A strong stint with the Tigers saw him score nine goals in 20 Championship appearances and was enough to persuade Brentford to spend €23.4m on him.

Carvalho proved to be a highly profitable player for the Reds, even if he has been unable to become a Premier League regular.

TRANSFER RATING: B-

Cody Gakpo - €42m from PSV

January 2023

Drafted in halfway through the season in a bid to give Liverpool some additional attacking impetus, Gakpo would go on to score seven goals in the second half of the season but has never truly lived up to his potential at Anfield.

He remains at the club but continues to be a player whose future continues to be questioned. His record, meanwhile, is decent for a winger, with 52 goals and 27 assists in 186 appearances.

This season, particularly, he has been performing to a high standard, despite strong links with a transfer during the 2026 summer transfer window.

Having signed for €42m, Liverpool will likely make a profit on Gakpo when he does depart, confirming his status as a transfer hit.

TRANSFER RATING: B

Alexis Mac Allister - €42m from Brighton

July 2023

Ward stayed beyond the end of his remit with Liverpool to ensure the deal to sign Mac Allister from Brighton was completed, and it was a fitting final deal in his previous stint.

Mac Allister has been a powerhouse in midfield for the Reds over the course of the last three seasons, and even if his level dipped last term, leading to suggestions that he could be sold in the summer, the €42m that the Reds paid has proven to be a bargain.

He was a World Cup-winning midfielder at that point, but with Liverpool he has enjoyed club glory, picking up the 2024/25 Premier League title, which Ward’s 18-month stint as sporting director helped set them up for.

TRANSFER RATING: A