Liverpool plotting to activate Ruben Amorim release clause – new details emerge
Liverpool have identified Sporting CP manager as the number one choice to take over from Jurgen Klopp, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed that Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are currently drawing up a list of candidates.
And Amorim has emerged as the favourite to land the role for next season, with Klopp leaving in the summer.
The German boss announced his decision to exit the Anfield club in January after an eight-and-a-half year reign.
39-year-old now in pole position for Liverpool manager job
O’Rourke explained that both Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso and Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi had also been in the running for the role.
But both have faded away, with the former choosing to stay in Germany and the Reds having cooled their interest in the latter.
Sources told Football Insider last month that Amorim and German boss Julian Nagelsmann were both set to be interviewed by Liverpool for the manager position.
“Roberto De Zerbi – there has been a lot of noise about his future at Brighton recently – was one name that was believed to be in the frame to replace Klopp at Liverpool,” he told the Inside Track podcast.
“But it seems Liverpool have cooled their interest in the Italian, and are now looking elsewhere to bring in a new manager for next season.
“Obviously Xabi Alonso was the number one target but he has reaffirmed his commitment to Bayer Leverkusen, which is no massive surprise, he’s having an outstanding season with the German club and he wants to finish the job off there and play Champions League football with them next season.
“It looks like they’re going to win the Bundesliga and the German Cup, and potentially the Europa League.
“So Alonso will be sorely missed by Liverpool, because he looked like he was a ready-made replacement for Klopp.
“It looks like Ruben Amorim of Sporting Lisbon is the number one, probably favourite for the job right now.
“Again, a very highly rated young coach, he’s got Champions League experience with Sporting, and has Sporting fighting for the Portuguese title this season.
“He has a release clause in his contract that he could leave this summer for around £12-£13million, so I think he’s definitely someone who is going to be high up on Liverpool’s list.
“But the new regime at Liverpool – Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes – will now be drawing up a number of names to see who they can lure to Liverpool to replace Klopp.
“I think it’s not an easy task, because anybody coming in knows how difficult a job it is to replace Klopp at Anfield.”
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