Jorg Schmadtke has already lined up Ron-Robert Zieler as his first Liverpool signing

Liverpool's incoming sporting director Jorg Schmadtke has already lined up his first Reds signing.

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are “close” to appointing Schmadtke as their next sporting director.

The Merseyside club have been looking to fill the position since Julian Ward announced he was leaving the role in November, just months after officially replacing Michael Edwards.

Schmadtke, who was a goalkeeper during his playing days, recently held the title of managing director of sport at Wolfsburg for five years before leaving at the start of February.

And according to Romano: “Liverpool are now close to appointing Jorg Schmadtke as [their] new sport director. The agreement is imminent — he has accepted the role.

“[The] former Wolfsburg director will work on the project/new signings together with Jurgen Klopp who will remain crucial in the transfer strategy.”

Liverpool are set for a busy summer, having endured a difficult campaign plagued by poor form and injuries. While the club look to have prioritised addressing the midfield in the coming window, the first signing of the Schmadtke era could be a goalkeeper.

Schmadtke’s first signing

According to Bild, veteran shot-stopper Ron-Robert Zieler is ‘high up’ on Liverpool’s list of options.

The Anfield club will likely be in the market for an Allison Becker understudy this summer, with doubt over the futures of both Adrian and Caoimhin Kelleher.

According to the German publication, a Liverpool move would be “financially appealing” to Zieler, who has previously worked under Schmadtke at Hannover.

Indeed, while Schmadtke was sporting director at Hannover, Zieler was signed from Manchester United back in 2010.

And while the 34-year-old keeper extended his Hannover deal by a year in March, he is allegedly disappointed the Bundesliga side hasn’t offered him a longer deal.

In turn, Zieler, who was part of Germany's 2014 World Cup winning squad, has been tipped to switch Lower Saxony for Merseyside in the coming window.