Liverpool ‘agree a deal to hire Bournemouth’s head scout Mark Burchill’… just days after Reds poached the Cherries’ transfer chief Richard Hughes to be sporting director

Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal to poach Bournemouth’s chief scout Mark Burchill.

While a contract has yet to be signed, Burchill is in line to become the latest addition to the Reds’ set-up as they prepare for the post-Jurgen Klopp era. 

The club have already appointed Richard Hughes – Bournemouth’s former transfer chief – as their sporting director in recent days, with Michael Edwards returning as CEO of Football. 

Burchill played a key role in Bournemouth’s transfer dealings and helped with signing players such as Nathan Ake, David Brooks and Philip Billing. 

Now Liverpool hope to add his expertise to their recruitment team, according to The Telegraph and Fabrizio Romano. 

They recently appointed former Bournemouth transfer chief Richard Hughes as their sporting director

He will link up with a well-established team including chief scout Barry Hunter and head of recruitment Dave Fallows.

Burchill, a former Scotland international, played for the likes of Celtic and Portsmouth and even turned out for clubs in Cyprus and Thailand. 

He had a year in charge of Livingston between December 2014 and December 2015, even winning the Scottish Challenge Cup, but was sacked with them second-bottom of the Scottish Championship.

He is a former team-mate of Hughes from their days at Fratton Park. 

If Liverpool get everything over the line, his arrival will signal Fenway Sports Group’s latest bid to improve their behind-the-scenes crew. 

Michael Edwards, who was sporting director from 2016 to 2022 and was instrumental in their transfer policy in that time, is now the CEO of Football. 

Meanwhile, Hughes is believed to be heavily influenced by ways of working at Barcelona and AC Milan – he is fluent in Italian and has an array of contacts in Serie A. 

Michael Edwards (left) has returned to the club as CEO of football under owners Fenway Sports Group

He was taken to Bournemouth with Howe, where he eventually headed up their football operations department.

The latter trio all have ties to Liverpool. Solanke was regarded as a ‘flop’ at Anfield but Hughes saw his talents and took him to the Cherries, where he is now a successful Premier League striker. Kelly and Brooks were considered by the Reds before joining Bournemouth.