The Reds' chief executive of football is now in his second spell at the club having already spent time as sporting director from 2016 until 2022, helping to oversee a Jurgen Klopp tenure that brought seven trophies including the Premier League and the Champions League.
It was for the former, in particular, that Edwards received praise for, having been credited with recruiting the players that supported Liverpool's 2019-20 success, including the likes of Brazilian duo Alisson and Fabinho along with Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson and Virgil van Dijk.
Yet despite his fairly anonymous persona, whereby he prefers to maintain a low profile, Edwards more than makes up for it behind the scenes, even if he does possess a unique approach to dealing with his colleagues and other members of staff.
According to Ian Graham, Liverpool’s former director of research who has worked with Edwards at Tottenham, Anfield and his company Ludonautics, Edwards is "a unique character" whose "spikiness" only comes from a good place and with the clubs best interests at heart.
“He is quite a spiky character,” Graham told the Independent. “If he disagrees with you loudly and immediately, probably with a few swearwords in there as well. I come from an academic background where we have serious arguments but you put your point across and show some supporting evidence, you don’t just shout ‘this is f***ing rubbish’.
Michael Edwards (left) was instrumental to Liverpool's success during his first spell at the club as sporting director
"But behind that spikiness is because he wants to get at the truth. Of all the people I have worked with at clubs, Michael is the only one, he has a real appetite for understanding detail, he is like a dog with a bone, saying, ‘what about this and how does this work?’
"If he wants an answer, he wants it yesterday and will keep on at you until you have got the answer. His quote to me was, ‘at the end of the day, I believe in facts and more information has got to be a good thing’.”
Liverpool may have been scrutinized for failing to make a statement signing this summer or one that would at least improve the squad, but perhaps it's biggest coup was re-appointing Edwards, albeit in a different role.
Michael Edwards was credited for the signings behind Liverpool's Premier League title success in 2019-20
A smart addition in the form of Italian winger Federico Chiesa and swooping for Georgian goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili ahead of next season has garnered certain praise, yes, but ultimately Liverpool fans were hoping for more. However, Graham feels Edwards' new role is crucial in shaping the next direction for the football club, especially in the post-Klopp era.
“If you want Michael Edwards, he is not going back as director of football so this is how you can get him back,” Graham said. “Michael is not a young, unproven hungry 30-year-old director of football any more. He has done that.”
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