Ruben Amorim has emerged as a possible target for West Ham (Picture: Getty)
West Ham have entered into negotiations with Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim, with uncertainty growing over David Moyes’ future at the club.
Moyes’ current contract is due to expire at the end of the campaign and it’s unclear whether the 60-year-old will still be in charge at the London Stadium next season, despite the Glaswegian revealing he had been offered a new deal in February.
The Irons have therefore been forced to scour the market for potential replacements should Moyes opt against committing his future to the club and Amorim has emerged as a leading target for the east London outfit.
According to The Athletic, discussions over a move for Amorim have taken place ‘between all parties’ and the idea of managing West Ham is said to ‘carry appeal’ for the sought-after 39-year-old.
The report adds that former Real Madrid and Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui – currently a free agent – has also been placed on the Hammers’ shortlist of candidates for the job.
The news is unlikely to be well received within Liverpool’s hierarchy given the Merseyside giants have identified Amorim as their first-choice target to take over the reins from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.
Recent reports emanating from Germany suggested Amorim had even agreed a deal to take charge at Anfield but the Portuguese went on to deny these rumours, insisting he had not even spoken with the Reds.
‘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.
‘I’m Sporting manager, I want to win here and I didn’t meet any club. Nothing has been agreed.’
Moyes is out of contract at West Ham in the summer (Picture: Getty)
A visibly frustrated 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.
Amorim, the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Klopp at Liverpool, is considered one of the finest young managers in European football after leading Sporting to the 2020/21 Primeira Liga title and two Portuguese League Cups.
Sporting look to be hurtling towards their second league title under Amorim this term, with the Lisbon giants sitting ten points clear of Benfica at the top of the table.
Both Liverpool and West Ham will know they may need to pay Amorim’s £12.8million release clause to prise the manager away from Estadio Jose Alvalade, with the Sporting boss tied into a contract until 2026.
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Speaking after West Ham’s Europa League quarter-final defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, Moyes insisted he was ‘happy’ at the club and fully focussed on overseeing a successful end to the season.
‘I have nothing to announce,’ the former Everton and Manchester United manager told reporters.
‘I am happy. We are just getting on with the job.
‘We are playing games, we have five left to play. We will get on with it. I said there was no real big rush to do anything and I still feel that way.’
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