Sporting Lisbon’s manager, Ruben Amorim, is being considered as a potential candidate to take over as Liverpool’s next manager. However, Barcelona, facing the departure of Xavi this summer, plan to secure his signature ahead of the Reds.
Barcelona are intensifying their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon’s manager, Ruben Amorim, amid interest from Liverpool.
Amorim, aged 39, is reportedly on the shortlist for Liverpool as they seek to replace Jurgen Klopp, who announced his imminent departure at the end of the season in January. Meanwhile, Barcelona are also in search of a new manager, as Xavi is planning to leave the club this summer after a two-and-a-half-year tenure.
This situation has created the potential for a tug of war between the two European giants. According to the Independent, Barcelona are racing to secure Amorim’s services before Liverpool potentially make a move.
Insiders have long believed that the Portuguese coach, who clinched the league title in his first full season at Sporting three years ago, would ultimately join Barcelona, especially since Xavi’s announcement of his departure.
Barcelona initially believed Liverpool would prioritise pursuing Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, leaving the path clear for them to pursue Amorim. However, with Alonso now opting against leaving, Barcelona may face competition in securing Amorim’s signature.
Nevertheless, Barcelona encounter a significant obstacle as Sporting demand the full €13 million (£11.1m) release clause for Amorim.
Given Barcelona’s financial struggles, they might need to part with another key player to maintain stability during the summer transfer window.
Meanwhile, Liverpool, in a more financially secure position, evaluate potential candidates such as Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi.
Although De Zerbi has been linked to the Barcelona vacancy, his €15 million (£12.8m) release clause presents a formidable barrier. Furthermore, Bayern Munich reportedly consider him their top choice for their managerial position.
Should Xavi reconsider his decision, Liverpool could have a clear path to pursue Amorim, an outcome President Joan Laporta hopes for.
“He already knows I’d like him to stay,” Laporta recently told Mundo Deportivo. “He keeps saying he’ll leave in June, but we’ll see. We don’t want to put this pressure on ourselves to make a decision for ourselves because the way things are going is working for us now.
“Any manager who comes will need to adapt to our structure. Barca is above managers, players, presidents or executives. Everyone.
“We have created a successful model and the manager will need to adapt. Whoever might come, will need to wait until the end of the season because we are not touching anything until Xavi makes his final decision.”
Currently occupying the second spot in La Liga, Barcelona, the reigning champions, have experienced a remarkable streak of success following Xavi’s announcement. They have triumphed in eight matches and drawn three out of their last 11 games.
Their next challenge awaits in the Champions League quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain. The winner of this clash will advance to face the winner between Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
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