Sporting boss Ruben Amorim is the bookies’ favourite to become Liverpool manager (Picture: Getty)
Ruben Amorim has dismissed a recent report which suggested he had agreed to take charge of Liverpool, insisting he has not even spoken to the club over the prospect of succeeding Jurgen Klopp.
The 39-year-old, widely regarded as one of the finest young managers in European football, has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Klopp, with Liverpool’s iconic head coach announcing his decision to step down in January.
Xabi Alonso had been placed at the top of Liverpool’s wishlist after an exceptional start to life in management, but the Spaniard has since confirmed that he will be staying put at Leverkusen beyond the end of the campaign.
While addressing the media last week, Amorim cast doubt over his Sporting future and fuelled rumours of a possible switch to Anfield, with the Portuguese unable to ‘guarantee’ whether he would still be in charge of the side at the start of next season.
Just three days later, Sky Germany reported that Amorim had reached a verbal agreement in principle to become Liverpool manager, with a three-year contract set to be offered on Merseyside.
However, at a press conference this afternoon, the Sporting head coach vehemently denied these claims, stressing that he had never held any meetings with the Premier League giants.
‘I did not meet Liverpool for any interview and there’s no agreement, it’s not true,’ he told reporters ahead of Sporting’s Primeira Liga clash with Gil Vicente.
Amorim is tied into a deal at Sporting until 2026 (Picture: Getty)
‘I’m Sporting manager, I want to win here and I didn’t meet any club. Nothing has been agreed.’
Amorim called on the media to stop questioning him over his future, determined to prevent the rumours from becoming a distraction as his side look to beat champions Benfica to the Portuguese league title.
‘Stop with this story. This is the last time I speak about my future,’ he added.
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Amorim is tied into a deal with Sporting until 2026 and Liverpool may need to trigger the manager’s £12.8million release clause to prise him away from Lisbon in the summer.
The former Portugal international, capped 14 times by his country, steered Sporting to the Primeira Liga title after taking over the reins from Silas midway through the 2020/21 campaign.
This season, his Sporting side sit four points clear of Benfica at the top of the table and have a game in hand over the defending champions.
Amorim’s Sporting side sit four points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga table (Picture: Getty)
Speaking to O Jogo earlier this month, Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha – who played under Amorim at Sporting – said he was confident his fellow countryman had all the quality necessary to manage Liverpool.
‘Ruben is a coach with a lot of quality, one of the best in Portugal. He has done an excellent job since Braga,’ Palhinha said.
‘He has in-depth knowledge of the game and has a close relationship with the players.
‘The way he is growing, he won’t stay in Portugal much longer. It will not be for lack of opportunities that he will not leave Portugal.
‘He dreams and aims to win another title with Sporting and then the future will be in his hands.’
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Asked whether Amorim had the ‘capacity’ to manage a club of Liverpool’s stature, Palhinha replied: ‘Yes, of course, although the pressure is different.
‘When you coach a big Portuguese club, you have pressure from the fans and the size of the club itself, which forces you to win.
‘When you coach Liverpool, you have pressure from the fans, the club and the whole world.
‘The way it is developing, I think it will be a matter of time.’
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