Man Utd and Chelsea ‘battle for transfer guru Edwards’ after chief who signed Mane, Van Dijk and Salah leaves Liverpool

Edwards' previous track record with signings at Anfield has sparked plenty of interest.

He was the man behind signings such as Alisson, Virgil Van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Andy Robertson.

His signings helped Liverpool win their first league title in 30 years and reach three Champions League finals in five years.

Edwards arrived from Tottenham Hotspur in 2011 as head of performance and analysis.

He swiftly rose through the ranks, progressing to the roles of director of technical performance and technical director - before starting in his current post as sporting director in 2016.

Edwards told Liverpool last August that he would not be renewing his contract at the end of the season.

He said it was time for a change after a decade at Anfield.

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In an open letter to Liverpool fans he wrote: "I had always planned to cap my time at the club to a maximum of 10 years.

"I’ve loved working here, but I am a big believer in change. I think it’s good for the individual and, in a work setting, good for the employer too."

During his time at the club, his best signings include:

• Mo Salah, £39m from Roma in 2017
• Virgil van Dijk, £75m from Southampton in 2017
• Andy Robertson, £8m from Hull in 2017
• Alisson, £65m from Roma in2018
• Fabinho, £44m from Monaco in 2018

However, Edwards is reportedly not keen on a swift return to football following his exit from Liverpool.

It is also yet to be seen whether Edwards, who joined Liverpool in 2011, would be open to working with his former club's fierce rivals.

Chelsea are looking to replace departing long-serving director Marina Granovskaia, who controlled the club’s transfer negotiations.

In the meantime, new owner Todd Boehly will take on the role as interim sporting director as the club consider their options.

Chelsea have also been linked with Atletico Madrid’s sporting director Andrea Berta, who is the man behind their success story under manager Diego Simeone.

Monaco's transfer chief Paul Mitchell has also emerged as an early candidate.