Sporting Lisbon – The Empire of The Kop

(Video) Amorim makes another Sporting statement; doesn’t want to leave

Peter Kenny Jones — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 10:01:37 +0000

Liverpool fans have seen Xabi Alonso rule himself out the race and now Ruben Amorim seems keen to also distance himself from the job.

Speaking via Record in Portugal (translated), the 39-year-old said: “I don’t feel like my time [at Sporting] is over; I feel motivated.”

It’s something that Sporting Lisbon fans will probably enjoy hearing, especially as they are in the hunt for a league title in this campaign.

One thing that is for sure though is that speculation around his (and Jurgen Klopp’s) future is not beneficial for short-term success.

You can watch Amorim’s comments via Record:

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(Image) Liverpool fans will be interested to see message Sporting fans sent to Amorim

Peter Kenny Jones — Sat, 13 Apr 2024 07:57:00 +0000

It’s no secret that Liverpool are strongly linked with Ruben Amorim possibly becoming our new manager and supporters from his current club have responded to these rumours.

In an away match against Gil Vicente, the travelling Sporting Lisbon fans unveiled a banner that read (translated): ‘#StayAmorim’ three times.

It’s a clear message from the Portuguese side that they don’t want to lose a manager that is hotly tipped with a move to Anfield this summer.

It seems safe to say that there’s going to be plenty of rumours in the coming weeks and months, let’s hope it doesn’t distract from any on-field matters in the meantime though.

You can view the image of the Sporting fans message to Amorim courtesy of Sport.tv (via @AnfieldSector on X):

Sporting CP fans with a "Stay Amorim" banner. pic.twitter.com/7fwQD3trqv

— Anfield Sector (@AnfieldSector) April 12, 2024

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(Video) ‘I want…’: Amorim sends clear message about Liverpool managerial role

Peter Kenny Jones — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:25:52 +0000

Ruben Amorim is the most hotly tipped candidate at present for the Liverpool job and he’s responded to rumours around possibly leaving Portugal.

Speaking with the press, the 39-year-old said: “I did not meet Liverpool for any interview and there’s no agreement, it’s not true.

“I’m Sporting manager, I want to win here and I didn’t meet any club. Nothing has been agreed. Stop with this story. This is the last time I speak about my future.”

It was a clear message from the Sporting Lisbon boss that he doesn’t want these stories to continue, as the former Braga man is in the hunt for a league title of his own.

With the business end of the season being upon us, it’s time for everyone to focus on the here and now.

You can watch Amorim’s comments via @B24PT and read the quotes via @FabrizioRomano on X:

“I did NOT meet Liverpool for any interview and there’s no agreement, it’s not true”.

“I’m Sporting manager, I want to win here and I didn’t meet any club. Nothing has been agreed”.

“Stop with this story. This is the last time I speak about my future”pic.twitter.com/7uTSOf4JDz

— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) April 11, 2024

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Agent claims £86m Sporting gem would find it ‘difficult’ to stay if Amorim leaves for Liverpool

Liam Togher — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:35:31 +0000

If Ruben Amorim is to leave Sporting Lisbon for Liverpool this summer, there could be a few players following him out the door.

Hasan Cetinkaya has said that one of his clients in Viktor Gyokeres would find it ‘difficult’ to remain at the Estadio Jose Alvalade if the 39-year-old were to depart, with the Sweden international having cited his manager as the main reason for coming to the Portuguese capital.

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Speaking to A Bola (via Sport Witness), the striker’s agent said: “Yes, it will be more difficult for Viktor to stay if Rúben Amorim leaves Sporting. Because Viktor came precisely because of Rúben. The day we met, I said to Rúben: ‘Here’s my boy, he came to Sporting because of you’.

“Of course, it’s an honour for any player to be able to play in the Champions League. Viktor is no exception in that respect, but there are other important things and Rúben Amorim is one of them. If he leaves, it will be more difficult for Viktor to continue.”

Cetinkaya added that Gyokeres, whose contract contains a €100m (£86m) release clause, has some ‘top’ Premier League clubs showing interest in the 25-year-old, although he didn’t specify who those suitors are.

There are numerous instances of players following their former manager to another club, including some who reunited at Liverpool (Joe Allen/Brendan Rodgers and Fabio Aurelio/Rafa Benitez spring to mind).

Therefore, if Amorim is to take the job at Anfield, it seems inevitable that several members of his current Sporting squad will be touted with a potential move to Merseyside.

Portuguese journalist Pedro Sepulveda has claimed that Chelsea and Arsenal are preparing offers for Gyokeres, so the London duo could be the foremost Premier League contenders for his signature.

However, with Cetinkaya saying that Amorim’s presence was what attracted the 25-year-old to Lisbon, perhaps the manager might also entice the ex-Coventry striker to Anfield, should he be the man to replace Jurgen Klopp in the dugout.

The Swedish marksman could be one of the hottest properties in European football this summer, having netted 36 goals already this season. We don’t know yet if Liverpool will be in the mix to snap him up, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the Reds were among the leading candidates to sign him, especially if his current boss ends up on Merseyside.

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Portuguese outlet hints at potentially huge development tomorrow in Liverpool’s Amorim pursuit

Liam Togher — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:29:26 +0000

Ruben Amorim appears to be inching ever closer to becoming the next Liverpool manager, according to various reports from Portugal over the past 24 hours.

On Monday, Pedro Sepulveda tweeted that the Reds have tabled a three-year contract offer to the Sporting Lisbon boss, with financial terms ‘almost agreed’.

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Meanwhile, Correio da Manhã reported today that the 39-year-old’s agent Raul Costa will meet with Anfield representatives on Tuesday in an attempt to ‘outline the terms of an agreement’ between club and manager, before then trying to convince Jose Alvalade chiefs to accept the proposed move.

Amorim has a €30m (£25.7m) termination clause in his contract at Sporting, although this is reduced by 33% for clubs outside of Portugal.

Given recent reports from elsewhere that Liverpool aren’t likely to even begin formally interviewing candidates for the manager’s job until the end of the season, we’d be averse to jumping the gun on any major claims before then.

However, it does seem as if attempts to lure Amorim to Anfield are gathering pace over the past couple of days, especially if his agent is due to meet with a delegation from Merseyside tomorrow.

The 39-year-old would be a hugely exciting appointment for the Reds, judging by a variety of testimonies from Sporting fans after the derby win over Benfica; and if a deal can be struck to secure his services before Jurgen Klopp departs at the end of the campaign, it could put to rest the fears of Kopites dreading a future without the current boss.

We await with interest to see what, if anything, comes from the reported meeting between Costa and Liverpool on Tuesday.

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Sporting fans’ adoring reviews of Ruben Amorim show just how big a coup he’d be for Liverpool

Liam Togher — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:35:52 +0000

Liverpool have appeared to make significant ground in their reported pursuit of Ruben Amorim, judging by one update from a trusted Portuguese source.

On Monday, Pedro Sepulveda tweeted that the Reds have offered a three-year contract to the 39-year-old, for whom financial terms are ‘almost agreed’.

The Daily Mail‘s Lewis Steele has subsequently shared further insight on the Sporting Lisbon manager, having travelled to Portugal to witness him in action during their 2-1 win over arch-rivals Benfica at the weekend.

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After the game, the journalist spoke with some fans of the Verde e Brancos who left him in no doubt as to their adoration of Amorim.

One supporter gushed: “Ruben is our GOAT (greatest of all time) as a coach. That’s it, attacking football, but his personality and the way he speaks and organises his speech is the best thing about him. I’m going to miss him very much.” Another fan testimony was succinct yet powerful: “He made our people happy.”

It was Jurgen Klopp who said that the important thing for a manager isn’t what the fans think when they come into a club, but rather when they leave.

It’s clear from the testimonies of those Sporting supporters that Amorim has earned a special place in their hearts, having taken the job in March 2020 amid plenty of scepticism during a horrendous season for the club.

To use another Kloppism, he’s turned doubters into believers in Lisbon, with one league title already secured and another likely to follow soon after that mammoth win over their local rivals in second.

The endorsement of Amorim as a coach who combines an attacking philosophy with a genial personality is bound to resonate very well with Liverpool supporters, along with the declaration of how he’s brought great joy to his current club’s fan base.

There are enough examples in football to illustrate that managers who enjoy huge success at one club may subsequently fail at another, but the insight from those who follow Sporting each week suggests that we’d be getting a very good Klopp successor in the deified 39-year-old if he comes to Anfield in the summer.

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Journo: Liverpool ‘pushing’ to wrap up deal for manager who ‘can’t guarantee’ stay at current club

Liam Togher — Fri, 05 Apr 2024 14:03:17 +0000

According to one source from Portugal, Liverpool may have just been given a significant boost in their pursuit of one manager to potentially replace Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds have been strongly linked with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim as they continue to seek the right candidate to take over from the German at the end of this season.

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On Friday afternoon, Pedro Sepulveda – a senior reporter at SIC Notícias – took to X to share a quote from the 39-year-old, who said: “I can’t guarantee that I’ll stay at Sporting…”.

The journalist declared in the same post that Liverpool are ‘pushing to close the deal’ for the Sporting manager ‘before the end of the season’.

Rúben Amorim just said: " I can't guarantee that I'll stay at Sporting… "

@LFC is pushing to close the deal before the end of the season. pic.twitter.com/FiTcsdOZaT

— Pedro Sepúlveda (@pedromsepulveda) April 5, 2024

In sharp contrast to Xabi Alonso publicly reaffirming his commitment to Bayer Leverkusen amid heavy links with Liverpool, Amorim’s declaration carries the air of an open invitation for prospective suitors to come and get him.

We don’t think his bosses in Lisbon will be overly pleased with what he’s had to say, and it’s inevitable that such comments will only fuel speculation about him potentially leaving the Estadio Jose Alvalade in the near future.

It could certainly come as quite a boost to the Anfield hierarchy amid their reported pursuit of the 39-year-old, and if they can secure his services before the end of the current campaign, it’d ensure a welcome clarity going into the summer transfer window, and indeed into next season.

As we saw with Alonso’s curveball last Friday, it’d be unwise to jump the gun when it comes to Liverpool’s manager search. In truth, it could be another couple of months before we know for sure who’ll be tasked with building upon Klopp’s game-changing legacy.

However, this update from Sepulveda indicates a step in the right direction in terms of Amorim potentially getting the job.

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37y/o with Chelsea connections could hold the key to Liverpool getting Ruben Amorim

Liam Togher — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 08:24:09 +0000

Ruben Amorim now appears to be the frontrunner for the Liverpool manager’s job, and fresh reports suggest that Sporting Lisbon may be bracing themselves for the possibility of his departure.

According to The Times, the Primeira Liga leaders have identified Bayern Munich assistant coach Anthony Barry as a leading candidate to replace the 39-year-old if the current boss at the Estadio Jose Alvalade is named as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

The Portuguese outfit are known for appointing up-and-coming coaches, and they’d be doing just that with Thomas Tuchel’s number two, who’s reportedly likely to move on from the Allianz Arena in tandem with the ex-Chelsea manager despite turning down multiple offers to become a head coach.

With Liverpool and Bayern among several European clubs on the lookout for new managers this year, there could be a widespread domino effect throughout the continent.

Barry, who also worked under Tuchel at Chelsea, could potentially hold the key to the Reds getting Amorim if he’s to land the Sporting job, which’d be the 37-year-old’s first appointment as a head coach after several assistant roles.

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The Merseyside native has also been number two to Roberto Martinez for both Belgium and Portugal, in addition to being part of Stephen Kenny’s backroom staff with Republic of Ireland in 2021 (Transfermarkt).

If he’s seeking to start his own managerial career and gets his break in Lisbon, that might help to pave the way for Liverpool to land Amorim, who may be determined to seize his chance to take over at a genuine European giant while his stock is high.

It looks set to be the kind of summer where one coaching appointment potentially holds the key to unlocking another. Barry’s future could indirectly have a significant bearing on the eventual identity of Klopp’s successor at Anfield, if a multi-faceted ripple effect were to materialise.

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How Liverpool can land Ruben Amorim for just £8.5m from Sporting Lisbon – report

Peter Kenny Jones — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 17:30:59 +0000

With Xabi Alonso out of the running to be the new Liverpool manager, many are now turning their attention to Ruben Amorim and he could be available for a very small fee.

As reported by Jason Burt and Chris Bascombe for Telegraph Sport: ‘The release clause in Amorim’s contract, that can be triggered at the end of this season, is €15 million.

‘The clause, agreed with Sporting Lisbon, drops to €10m (£8.5m) in the summer of 2025 – and its existence means it will be easier for Liverpool to agree a deal with the Portuguese club should they eventually decide to make a move for the highly rated 39-year-old.’

With the Bayer Leverkusen boss confirming he won’t be available until the summer of 2025 at the earliest, the Reds could face choosing between the Spaniard or the Sporting Lisbon boss.

If the 39-year-old in Portugal was wanted then, it would cost £8.5 million but we all know that our need for a new boss is a lot more pressing than that at this stage.

Therefore, the figure of €15 million (£12.8 million) is the more likely one we would need to pay to prize the former Braga man away from the team that are currently sat top of Primeira Liga.

Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards will be compiling a list of potential replacements for the 56-year-old currently in the job and it’s growing increasingly likely that the Portuguese coach will be on among them.

We can certainly afford either release clause touted and let’s hope that we can secure the services of the target that those in charge think is the perfect man.

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Liverpool have dispatched scouts to assess potential Jurgen Klopp successor tonight – report

Liam Togher — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:44:57 +0000

Liverpool are reportedly set to get a close-up look at one potential successor to Jurgen Klopp on Thursday night.

According to Portuguese outlet Record [via Sport Witness], scouts from Anfield have been dispatched to tonight’s Taca de Portugal semi-final first leg between Sporting Lisbon and Benfica, with the home side’s manager Ruben Amorim among the leading contenders for the Reds job.

It mightn’t be just the 39-year-old on whom the LFC delegation are adjudicating, either, with several players potentially being assessed with a view to possible transfer approaches later this year.

Usually on scouting missions it’s the players who are on the tips of supporters’ tongues, but in this instance there’s bound to be plenty of focus on Amorim.

TEAMtalk claimed last week that the Sporting Lisbon boss is ‘enormously appreciated’ by FSG and would be the Anfield hierarchy’s preferred go-to option if Xabi Alonso proves unattainable.

Liverpool’s scouts are set to take notes on the 39-year-old’s tactical setup – he’s generally opted for a 3-4-3 formation this season (Transfermarkt) – and possibly his in-game management, an aspect in which Klopp has excelled in recent months, as reflected in a series of inspired substitutions to win crucial points for the Reds.

Amorim will be on a revenge mission tonight against his club’s biggest rivals, after Benfica scored two goals deep into stoppage time to pinch a dramatic 2-1 win during their league meeting in November – a six-point swing which could go a long way to deciding a closely-contested title race.

Despite anything that the Sporting manager might say in public, privately he’s bound to realise that the derby on Thursday night may represent an audition for him to potentially land a lucrative managerial job at one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

It could be well worth tuning into that fixture later on to see how he fares.

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Liverpool could have to pay £17m+ to land preferred alternative to Alonso; Chelsea were after him

Liam Togher — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 10:40:31 +0000

Liverpool may have to dig deep into their pockets to recruit one managerial alternative to Xabi Alonso, if the Bayer Leverkusen boss turns down the Anfield job.

According to TEAMtalk, the 42-year-old could snub any advances from the Reds in favour of remaining in Germany, where his family are believed to be happy and settled, and with the Spaniard seemingly reluctant to take on the unenviable task of being Jurgen Klopp’s immediate successor.

If LFC can’t lure their former midfielder, their next preferred options is thought to be Ruben Amorim, who’s ‘enormously appreciated’ by FSG and held talks with Chelsea last summer before the west Londoners ultimately hired Mauricio Pochettino.

However, the 39-year-old won’t come cheap, with this report indicating that Liverpool would have to pay a release clause – which becomes active at the end of this season – of €20m (£17.1m) for the Sporting Lisbon manager, whose current contract runs to 2026.

For many Liverpool fans, anyone other than Alonso may feel like an anti-climax when it comes to appointing Klopp’s successor. However, if the Leverkusen boss is unattainable or doesn’t want the Reds job, we could do a lot worse than Amorim.

Despite only turning 39 last month, he’s already taken charge of more than 200 senior club matches, 195 of which have been with Sporting, who he guided to a first league title in 19 years in his first full season in charge (Transfermarkt).

They’re currently on track to repeat the feat his season, sitting top on goal difference ahead of arch-rivals Benfica and boasting a game in hand, while they could come up against LFC in the near future if both sides progress beyond the Europa League round of 16 and are subsequently paired together.

Amorim would appear to be closely aligned to Klopp in some tactical aspects, with the Portuguese coach known for instilling high defensive line, relentless pressing and a preference for building play out from the back, as well as giving his full-backs licence to surge up the pitch (Football Coin).

If Alonso can’t be swayed by Liverpool, then the £17.1m release clause for his Sporting counterpart could be an expense worth making in order to land one of the brightest young coaches in European football.

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Liverpool would happily pay release clause to land one man who Guardiola dubbed ‘one of the best’

Liam Togher — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 08:41:56 +0000

According to reports from Portugal, Liverpool would have no qualms about digging deep in order to land one potential replacement for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

The weekend edition of Correio da Manhã claimed (via Sport Witness) that the Reds wouldn’t find it an ‘impediment’ to pay the €20m (£17.1m) release clause in the contract of Ruben Amorim at Sporting Lisbon.

The 39-year-old is apparently a huge admirer of English football, and there’s a sense within his homeland that his work at the Estadio Jose Alvalade could soon be done as he reportedly sets his sights towards ‘higher goals’.

Amorim is only a year older than James Milner but has already built up a glowing managerial reputation at Sporting, taking charge in almost 200 matches despite his relative youth (Transfermarkt) and even being dubbed ‘one of the best’ at his profession by none other than Pep Guardiola (Evening Standard).

He’s carved out a name for himself in terms of promoting young talent in the Lisbon club and implementing an attractive brand of football, overseeing a title-contending squad featuring two prominent Liverpool transfer targets in Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande.

He’s also kept the Lions competitive in Portugal despite cashing in on some high-profile players, including Pedro Porro, Manuel Ugarte, Matheus Nunes and Joao Palhinha.

Of course, making the leap from Sporting to Liverpool would be no easy task, especially when it entails replacing an iconic figure in Klopp.

However, if Amorim truly has his sights set on potentially taking on that challenge, there isn’t much more he could be doing in order to make the best possible case for himself.

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‘Mark my words…’ – Reported Liverpool target earmarked for £100m+ transfer; he’s ‘a cut above’

Liam Togher — Tue, 16 Jan 2024 10:09:19 +0000

One Liverpool-linked defender has been touted to potentially leave his current club for a nine-figure transfer fee.

In a piece for the Liverpool Echo, Paul Gorst reported of some glowing reviews made by sources from Portugal regarding Ousmane Diomande, who’s recently emerged as a player of interest to the Reds (Daily Mail).

One observer said of the Sporting Lisbon centre-half: “He’s a cut above the rest of the centre-backs we have playing here, [even] better than Antonio Silva at Benfica. He reads play really well, wins his tackles and moves in with perfect timing. He is definitely at Champions League level already.”

Another declared: “I think he’s going to be Sporting’s next expensive sale. Sporting is going to make at least £100m with him. Mark my words.”

What is it about Diomande which has led some Portuguese sources to tout him for a £100m+ transfer in the foreseeable future?

The 20-year-old has already made a name for himself as a beast in the air, winning 71.8% of his aerial duels in the Primeira Liga so far this season (FBref). That’s an even better rate than Ibrahima Konate with 69%, and the Frenchman is known for being an aerial colossus.

The Sporting centre-back combines that no-nonsense defending with being one of the best in his position with his use of the ball, ranking among the top 7% of positional peers in Europe for pass completion (90.7%), progressive passes (5.77), progressive carries (1.4) and successful take-ons (0.58) per 90 minutes (FBref).

Diomande is currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations with host country Ivory Coast, helping his side to victory and a clean sheet in their tournament opener against Guinea-Bissau with an assured performance which saw him complete 92% of his passes (Sofascore).

He already appears to be an outstanding defender at the age of 20, and one can only wonder just how high a ceiling he might have over the coming decade when considering the levels he’s reaching now.

It doesn’t take a genius to see why Liverpool are reportedly interested in the Ivorian, and it seems certain that he’ll eventually leave Sporting for a massive transfer fee. The fact that £100m+ has even been mentioned is quite the indicator of his potential.

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Liverpool scouts watched 20-goal hitman register a hat-trick of sorts in 5-1 romp

Liam Togher — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 18:28:56 +0000

Liverpool had scouts present at a recent fixture in Portugal to keep an eye on one player who’s been in red-hot form this season.

If you were to engage in Dota 2 gambling involving a Sporting Lisbon match, you’d probably wager a few quid on Viktor Gyokeres getting among the goals, with the Swedish striker netting 20 times in 23 games already in the current campaign.

According to HITC, the Reds dispatched a delegation to the Estadio Jose Alvalade last weekend to watch Ruben Amorim’s side cruise to a 5-1 win over Estoril and preserve their place at the top of the Primeira Liga.

Newcastle also sent scouts to the Portuguese capital to keep an eye on the former Brighton and Coventry striker, who’s believed to have a €52m (£45m) release clause in his contract.

How did Liverpool target Gyokeres perform last weekend?

Considering his goalscoring form this season, and that Sporting put five goals past their opponents, it was quite a surprise that the 25-year-old didn’t plunder any of that quintet.

However, he was far from ineffective against mid-table Estoril, as he laid claim to a hat-trick of assists, setting up both Marcus Edwards strikes as well as the late effort from Francisco Trincao.

Gyokeres had four shots of his own on the night and completed a remarkable tally of six key passes, while he also proved to be a handful out of possession by winning seven of his 13 duels (Sofascore).

The Swede has now registered at least one goal contribution in nine of his last 11 league games, while he reached the 20-goal mark for the season a few days later with a brace in Sporting’s 4-0 cup win over Tondela.

Could Gyokeres be an ideal transfer target for Liverpool?

The 25-year-old’s phenomenal goal tally instantly marks him out as a true predator inside the penalty area, while he already has plenty of experience in English football from his time with Brighton, Coventry and Swansea.

He netted 43 goals in 116 games with the Sky Blues, who he helped to the Championship play-off final last season, although he never made a Premier League appearance during his time with the Seagulls.

Just as Liverpool signed Darwin Nunez off the back of a hugely prolific season in Portugal two years ago, it’s not unthinkable that they could do likewise with Gyokeres to give Jurgen Klopp’s squad another centre-forward alternative to the Uruguayan.

Whether the Anfield hierarchy will part with £45m for an addition to an already stellar forward line is open to question, but the Sweden international could hardly be doing much more to put his name in the shop window.

Even if the Reds’ scouting team didn’t see him score against Estoril, he surely would’ve shown enough in his overall performance so that the subsequent report on him would’ve contained plenty of positives.

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Club legend would love to see Liverpool win the race for ‘complete’ £45m wiz they scouted lately

Liam Togher — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 13:19:06 +0000

One Sporting Lisbon legend would rather see the club’s prolific striker Viktor Gyokeres sign for Liverpool than another Premier League suitor.

The Reds and Newcastle both sent scouts to the Estadio Jose Alvalade last weekend to watch the Sweden international provide a hat-trick of assists in a 5-1 thrashing of Estoril, with the 25-year-old boasting a €52m (£45m) release clause at the Primeira Liga leaders (HITC).

Manuel Fernandes, an icon of Sporting who sits second in their all-time scoring list, spoke to A Bola about the former Brighton attacker, who he dubbed a ‘complete’ player.

The 72-year-old said of Gyokeres: “I honestly hope he doesn’t leave Sporting, at least before the end of the season. I think it’s difficult for any club to beat the clause in this winter market. If you have to leave, let it be to a big club, like Liverpool or Bayern Munich.

“For example, Liverpool have players there who are not half as good as Gyokeres. I see him, for example, at the level of Bayern Munich, but for now, let him stay. It is clear that he feels good at Sporting. He is a very serious and focused player.”

It’s no wonder the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle are watching Gyokeres with such intent, with the Swedish marksman hitting 20 goals in 23 appearances for Sporting so far this season (Transfermarkt).

Even if he didn’t find the net when the Reds watched him against Estoril, he still impressed with three assists, seven successful duels and six key passes (Sofascore), proving a real handful for the visitors to contain.

It speaks to our reputation as a club that an impartial observer in Fernandes would rather see the 25-year-old move to Anfield than St James’ Park, even if the Sporting legend is being harsh on our current squad with his remark that some LFC players aren’t ‘half as good’ as the Swede.

Gyokeres is already accustomed to the rigours of the English game from his time with Brighton, Swansea and Coventry, so he probably wouldn’t require any great bedding-in period if he were to join Liverpool this year.

Even with Mo Salah away at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Reds probably won’t splash out on a forward in the January transfer window. However, if the Sweden striker were to keep scoring at his current rate, he’ll become increasingly impossible to ignore.

Let’s see if, further down the line, Anfield chiefs grant Fernandes his wish of making Merseyside the 25-year-old’s future home.

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