Fabrizio Romano clarifies Richard Hughes and Al-Hilal news
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Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes amid Al-Hilal links in recent weeks. Image Credits: Imago ImagesFabrizio Romano has provided an update on Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, who brought in by Fenway Sports Group in the summer of 2024 to overhaul Liverpool’s football operations alongside CEO of Football Michael Edwards.Hughes has since emerged as a prime target for Saudi Pro League heavyweights Al-Hilal — and the noise around a potential move has refused to die down.The Scottish executive was first linked with the Riyadh club back in February, with those whispers gathering fresh momentum in recent weeks as Al-Hilal prepare for a new ownership era under Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.
The two parties are not strangers to one another either, having dealt directly last summer when Hughes negotiated Darwin Nunez’s switch from Anfield to the Saudi capital.Speculation continued into April when Saudi journalist Ahmad Alajlan claimed that an announcement was imminent, posting that “Al-Hilal will announce, through the new owner Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the signing of the Scottish ‘Richard Hughes’ to take on the role of the club’s sporting director.”That report has not been universally accepted, however, with The Telegraph stating earlier in April that no contact had been made between Al-Hilal and Liverpool, and that Hughes was merely one of three names on the club’s shortlist.With the conflicting briefings flying around, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano stepped in to set the record straight:“Many people asking me about Richard Hughes and Saudi links with Al-Hilal. I can 100% confirm that from Saudi they want Richard Hughes, that’s true,” he said on his YouTube channel.“But at the same time Hughes is completely focused on Liverpool.
We will see what’s going to happen in the next months and years, whether those in Saudi can reach an agreement to bring him to Al-Hilal.”“So, for sure, the Saudi attempts are true, but at the moment Richard Hughes is working hard for Liverpool.”The longer-term picture is less straightforward. Al-Hilal Fabrizio Romano Richard Hughes