Richard Hughes has been appointed sporting director of Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League club confirmed on Sunday, marking his exit from Liverpool. The move underlines Saudi football's continued pursuit of established English football expertise, with Hughes becoming the latest high-profile figure from the Premier League to relocate to Riyadh, following a string of players who joined Al-Hilal this year.

Hughes, 47, had spent two years at Anfield after joining from Bournemouth in 2024, where he was responsible for appointing Arne Slot as Jürgen Klopp's successor, a decision that brought immediate success with the Premier League title in 2024-25 before Slot was sacked and replaced by Andoni Iraola in June. Al-Hilal, managed by former Inter boss Simone Inzaghi, has also recruited Gabriel Martinelli, Crysencio Summerville and Ollie Watkins from Arsenal, West Ham and Aston Villa respectively this summer, while two of Hughes's former Liverpool recruitment colleagues, Mark Burchill and Craig McKee, are expected to join him at the club.