Departing Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre is to leave three months ahead of schedule following a successful transition at the top of the club's business operations.
Ayre, who is due to join Bundesliga side 1860 Munich this summer, will now go at the end of this month with everything in place for his successor - to be announced in due course - to take over.
Mike Gordon, president of Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group, and Ayre have overseen the process following the latter's announcement last March that he was to leave after a decade's service, and Press Association Sport understands Ayre's early release would not have been permitted had FSG not been entirely happy with how well placed they now were.
"On behalf of John and Tom, I would like to place on record the outstanding contribution Ian has made to Liverpool Football Club over the past 10 years," said Gordon, on behalf of FSG principal owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner.
"It goes without saying that his leadership of LFC has been instrumental to the club's progress under our ownership.
"It is a measure of his character and his commitment that we have been able to collectively plan and execute such a gradual, natural transition.
"On both a professional and personal level, he will be missed."
