Ruben Amorim has been seriously linked with the Anfield job in recent days, and the Sporting Lisbon manager has now had his say on the speculation surrounding his future.
After Jurgen Klopp made a decision to leave at the end of the season, former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso emerged as the favourite for the role. But he this week declared he wants to stay with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
Now the returning Michael Edward and new sporting director Richard Hughes are looking at the other targets on their list, including Sporting boss Amorim. After they won against Estrela Amadora on Friday, the 39-year-old was asked about the links.
He said: “Right now, I’m focused on Sporting. I’m very proud to be Sporting’s coach. We’re focused on winning titles. You’ll see in the end.
“I have a contract and I’m very happy here. That’s the most important thing, more than contracts, I’m very happy here. The focus is on beating Benfica in the Portuguese Cup.”
If Amorim does want the move, Liverpool could activate a release clause in his contract believed to be around £12.8million, reports the Mirror.
The amount would drop even further to £8.5m in 2025 – the same sum that Sporting originally paid to lure him from Braga in 2020. Amorim’s contract is set to last until 2026.
Meanwhile, Joao Palhinha, a former player of his who now plays for Fulham, has already given his backing for Amorim to make a move to Anfield.
In a chat with O Jogo, when asked if Amorim could handle the pressure of being the boss at Liverpool, the Fulham star said:
“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.”
If Amorim leaves Sporting this summer, he could depart as a two-time Primeira Liga champion. He guided the club to the title during the 2020/21 season by losing just one match.
Sporting currently have a one-point lead at the top of the table with a game in-hand over their closest rivals Benfica. As a manager, Amorim has also won the Portuguese League Cup twice.
Sporting have also made it to the semi-finals of the most recent edition and are set to face Benfica in the second-leg of their clash. After a home victory, Amorim’s team currently leads 2-1.
