Michael Edwards' planned departure from Liverpool next summer could "upset the balance" at the club, says Noel Whelan.

Edwards has overseen an extraordinary turnaround at Liverpool, masterminding deals to build the squad which has led to so much success under Jurgen Klopp.

Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk are just a few of the transfer success stories to have occurred with Edwards as technical director.

But according to reports, Edwards is set to leave the club at the end of the current season.

Julian Ward, the Reds' assistant sporting director, is expected to step up, but Noel Whelan believes the Edwards' loss will be felt by the club.

"Edwards has done so well in the transfer market," he told Football Insider.

"He's been brilliant at bringing players in and selling players so naturally his loss would be felt. He has basically built the team along with Jurgen Klopp.

"When you lose somebody who knows the club inside out like he does, it can upset the balance. It is not easy to replace someone who has built up that trust with the manager. It would definitely be a blow if he left."

But Edwards only managed to get one signing over the line this summr – Ibrahima Konate – and Gary Neville can't shake the feeling that there is "something missing".

"I said after the game that sometimes you can't put your finger on it, but something's not right," he said on the Webby and O'Neil YouTube channel.

"It's not bad, it's not a massive big spirit issue or the manager has fallen out with players, nothing like that.

"But there's something missing. I remember going three years ago thinking we're in trouble and two years ago thinking we're in serious trouble.

"You can just feel it, you can see when something is right – but it's just not there."

It's got to the point where Neville thinks that only a marquee signing could have alterred the attitude towards Liverpool and their title hopes.

He added: "Unless they have bought Mbappe, and then we go 'Oh my God, they're challenging', there's something not quite right there."