Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards has confirmed he will step down from his position at the end of the season. Edwards first joined Liverpool in November 2011 and has played a key role in the club’s successful recruitment in recent seasons. He has confirmed he will leave the club when his current deal expires in the summer of 2022, and will be replaced by deputy sporting director Julian Ward. Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group made repeated unsuccessful attempts to persuade Edwards to extend his contract. Edwards is not planning to move to Newcastle despite their new Saudi-led ownership looking for experienced backroom staff, according to the PA news agency. In an open letter to Liverpool supporters, Edwards wrote: “Ten years – that’s a pretty long time in anyone’s working life. “In football terms it is an era in itself, particularly at a club like Liverpool where the expectations and standards are never anything other than as high as the supporters deserve. “To be...