Ruben Amorim is the bookmakers’ favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
Micah Richards is confident Ruben Amorim could be a perfect fit for Liverpool, but believes some will be questioning whether the Sporting boss is ready for a top Premier League job at such an early stage of his managerial career.
Amorim, 39, regarded as one of the finest young managers in European football, has reportedly emerged as Liverpool’s top target to take over the reins from Jurgen Klopp at the end of the campaign.
It comes after Xabi Alonso, who had been Liverpool’s first-choice candidate, announced that he would be staying on for at least another season with the newly crowned Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Reports emanating from Germany earlier this month indicated that Amorim had agreed a deal in principle to take charge at Anfield in the summer, with a three-year deal said to have been offered by the Reds.
However, Amorim has since played down speculation over an impending switch to Merseyside, telling reporters at a press conference last week that rumours of a verbal agreement were completely false.
‘I did not meet Liverpool for any interview and there’s no agreement, it’s not true,’ Amorim said ahead of Sporting’s thumping 4-0 win over Gil Vicente.
‘I’m Sporting manager, I want to win here and I didn’t meet any club. Nothing has been agreed.’
Amorim’s Sporting side sit seven points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga table (Picture: Getty)
The Portuguese – who is tied into a contract until 2026 – called on the media to stop with the persistent questioning over his future, with the speculation threatening to become a distraction with his Sporting side flying high at the top of the Primeira Liga table.
‘Stop with this story,’ he added.
‘This is the last time I speak about my future.’
Richards believes Amorim’s attacking style of play could be perfect for Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
Former Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards, asked about Amorim on The Rest Is Football podcast, claimed Amorim had the ‘intelligence’ and style of play to become a successful Liverpool manager.
But according to Richards, Amorim’s lack of experience remains a major ‘question mark’, especially given the size of task that awaits Klopp’s successor in the hot seat at Anfield.
‘I think the way he plays, tactically, he would be good,’ Richards said.
Klopp departs Liverpool after nine trophy-laden years in the summer (Picture: Getty)
‘But I did see a quote from him, or I think they were quotes, which basically said that the rumours about him going to Liverpool were not true and he wants everyone to stop talking about it which I did see just yesterday.
‘But in terms of, “Could he be good for Liverpool?”… definitely. He’s really intelligent, he plays attacking football.
‘He’s evolved as a manager as well because it was at Braga that he did okay there.
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Richards added: ‘Can he do it in the Premier League so soon? That’s the one question mark you would have.
‘I’ve heard Liverpool fans saying they would like him, they like his style of football.
‘But you just never know.’
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