Jurgen Klopp hopes to make significant additions to his Liverpool squad this summer (Picture: Getty)

Liverpool are set to ramp up their summer transfer business after confirming the appointment of Jorg Schmadtke as the club’s new sporting director.

The 59-year-old, who left a similar role at Bundesliga side Wolfsburg at the beginning of 2023 after more than four years, will take up his post on June 1 once work permit formalities have been completed.

He will replace Julian Ward, who is due to leave the club this summer after more than a decade.

Former goalkeeper Schmadtke made more than 300 Bundesliga appearances for Fortuna Dusseldorf, Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach during his playing career before moving into administration.
He had spells at Cologne, Hannover and Alemannia Aachen before joining Wolfsburg.

Alexis Mac Allister is on the verge of joining Liverpool from Brighton (Picture: Getty)

Schmadtke joins a club which, by compatriot Klopp?s admission, endured ‘a bad season’, finishing fifth in the Premier League and missing out on Champions League football next term as a result.

Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon told the club?s website: ‘Firstly, I would like to welcome Jorg to Liverpool Football Club in the knowledge that he will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience into a role in which such qualities can only be beneficial both to him and us.

‘Jorg will work with our footba...