The trailblazing Portsmouth, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur figure wanted across world football now aiding big promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers

One of the most highly-regarded figures in football has linked up with key promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers.

Trailblazing former Pompey analyst, Michael Edwards, has joined up with the Championship chasers in an advisory role which is being touted to revolutionise the Trotters’ recruitment.

That’s no surprise either, given Edwards emergence as one of the game’s most in-demand figures after his phenomenal success as the power behind the throne at Liverpool.

The Fareham man who left Fratton Park for Spurs in 2009 is part of new sports advisory business, Ludonautics, who use statistical analysis to aid decision making in areas like recruitment.

The owner of the company is former Liverpool head of research Ian Graham, who has brought in Edwards as a non-executive director.

It was at Anfield where the pair really made their names with Jurgen Klopp, with their reputations soaring as the likes of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Andy Robertson and Sadio Mane were brought in.

Liverpool went on to win six major trophies including the Champions League and Premier League, before Edwards departed in 2022.

He could have had the pick of the world’s top clubs to join at that point, with the likes of Real Madrid, Paris St Germain and Chelsea said be among those in pursuit of the man known as ‘Prozone Eddie’ in his time at PO4.

Edwards instead took time away from the game, but now looks set to aid the development of Ian Evatt’s side, who are five points behind Pompey with three games in hand.

That’s a blow for Liverpool, according to reports, after the club’s owners called Edwards to float the idea of a return to his old club - a notion which was dismissed.

Peterborough owner, Darragh MacAnthony discussed that significance in a recent episode of his podcast, The Hard Truth - Inside the Football Industry.

He said: ‘I think the owner of Bolton, Sharon (Brittan), deserves the benefit of the doubt in any decision that people might not agree with because she has pretty much got all of her decisions right.

‘It is not what I think, I guess it is what your manager thinks. If you recruit in a certain way and it is based around this – and they have had a solid manager for a good few years now – I guess it is explaining to them, "We are doing a new thing".

‘It is how open managers are to new things. I am sure he is open to it and I am sure it has gone fine. Bolton are a big club, I have said this already. He (Edwards) is no mug, he did very well at Liverpool and has turned them down so he obviously believes in it.’