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.