Probert leaves Ipswich to become Liverpool Head of Loan Management

Since then Liverpool have been looking for someone to oversee their loans programme full-time and TGG understands that they headhunted Probert for the role.

Given Liverpool’s need to player-trade effectively to fund their football budget, Head of Loans is considered business-critical within their operations structure.

A club insider said Probert’s “blend of operational experience and player development expertise made him the stand-out candidate” for a role that is crucial to Liverpool’s long-term strategy.

Probert has been Director of Football Operations at Ipswich since November 2021, overseeing the running of a number of different football departments across men’s, women’s and Academy, and also has a strong track record in coaching and youth development.

Prior to joining Ipswich, he worked for Bristol City for more than eight years, latterly as their Academy Director, and was Youth Development Manager at Forest Green Rovers for two years before this. 

Liverpool were one of the early adopters of the Loan Manager role. Julian Ward was their first Loan Pathways and Football Partnerships Manager, filling the position for five years from 2015, before becoming Assistant Sporting Director. 

In this 2018 TGG article, he gave an in-depth insight into his role.

“I think if we get the loan right, a player gets credibility among the coaching fraternity and in football in general,” said Ward, who is now Technical Director for Liverpool’s owners FSG. 

“And when they come back to Liverpool, they’ll be more equipped with the demands of being a Liverpool player.”

Ward’s successor in the role was David Woodfine, who is now back at Anfield as Assistant Sporting Director, with Newberry taking over in 2023.

The new role will see Halajko continuing to oversee the club’s Academy, while also heading up a number of first-team areas, as well as the Women’s team programme.

“We are really pleased to appoint Dmitri to this important role,” said Chairman Mark Ashton. “He has made a significant contribution to the club over the last year, notably leading the work which has seen the Academy awarded Category One status ahead of the new season.

 “He brings a wealth of experience to this role from his time working at various clubs in England, across a range of different roles, giving him the necessary tools to oversee a number of crucial areas at the club.” 

Halajko added: “I am delighted to have moved into such an exciting role at Ipswich Town. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club over the last year and am supremely proud we have been able to move the Academy to Category One status ahead of the new season.

 “I’m excited to now be able to expand my role to include many other areas of the club and continue the excellent work which has been done over the last few years.”

Meanwhile, Ben Chenery has taken over from Halajko as Academy Manager. The Ipswich-born former defender was a youth player at Town before playing senior football for the likes of Luton Town, Cambridge United, Canvey Island and Chelmsford Town. 

He became Assistant at Bury Town in 2012 and was appointed Manager two years later, a role he spent nine years in before departing in 2023. 

Chenery has spent the last two years at Tottenham, first as their Youth Development Phase Lead and then U21s Assistant.