Arsenal
There’s a well-recognized face again within the fold at Liverpool – former winger Stewart Downing has formally joined the membership’s scouting and recruitment division, taking over the function of World Expertise Scout because the Reds proceed to evolve behind the scenes underneath Arne Slot’s new regime.
Downing, now 40, made 91 appearances in a pink shirt between 2011 and 2013, a interval which included a League Cup triumph and an FA Cup remaining look. Whereas his time at Anfield had its ups and downs on the pitch, his affinity for the membership by no means pale.
After hanging up his boots in 2021, the Middlesbrough-born former England worldwide (35 caps) had dipped his toes into teaching with Boro and later at Leeds United. He’s additionally turn into a little bit of a fixture on TV, providing his ideas as a pundit with the calm confidence of a person who’s been there and performed it.
However this newest twist – a transfer into the world of scouting – wasn’t one thing he essentially noticed coming.
The provide from Liverpool got here unexpectedly. However the likelihood to rejoin a membership of such stature and work in a behind-the-scenes capability proved irresistible. Downing has spent latest months deep in preparation, sharpening his eye for expertise and brushing up on the finer factors of scouting methodology.
He’s now formally began work in his new function.
Liverpool’s world scouting transient is a severe one. The membership says its expertise scouts are anticipated to “use expertise and information to precisely showcase excessive potential gamers to world expertise employees” and assist “prolong our attain to assist the fast identification of excessive profile gamers from world wide.” That’s a far cry from the previous VHS tape and fax machine method of years passed by.
Downing actually is aware of a factor or two about breaking via. After rising at Middlesbrough, he earned a transfer to Aston Villa earlier than sealing his £20 million change to Liverpool in 2011 underneath Kenny Dalglish. His debut season noticed him play a key half in Liverpool’s League Cup success – the membership’s first trophy in six years on the time – and attain one other Wembley remaining within the FA Cup.
Reflecting on his transfer to Liverpool, Downing beforehand stated: “I had a good time there. It was a transfer I’d at all times needed to do – play for a membership like Liverpool. When the prospect I got here, I jumped at it.
“I used to be having an excellent time at Villa and it was an excellent membership, however I feel Liverpool is Liverpool and I needed to make that transfer.”
After leaving Anfield, Downing returned to Boro in 2015, serving to them win promotion again to the Premier League. All in all, he remodeled 400 appearances for his hometown membership throughout two spells.
Now, with boots swapped for a notepad and scouting database, he embarks on a brand new chapter – one which brings him full circle, again to Anfield.
