Liverpool have identified a new candidate as their preferred replacement for Jurgen Klopp, who has announced he is leaving the English club this summer.
Ruben Amorim has become the primary focus for Liverpool in their search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor, especially after Xabi Alonso exited the contention.
A recent report has revealed that the Sporting CP manager could be secured for a fee lower than initially anticipated, closely aligning with the cost of other potential candidates.
Since Klopp declared his departure from Liverpool by the season’s end in January, Alonso had been perceived as the frontrunner for the role, given his history as a midfielder at Anfield.
Yet, Alonso, who was also in consideration for Bayern Munich’s managerial spot to succeed Thomas Tuchel, opted out of the Liverpool race last Friday.
He announced at a press conference his decision to stay with Bayer Leverkusen, leading a team that’s currently at the top of the Bundesliga and remains unbeaten this season, despite their history of not securing the title.
Amorim, the Sporting coach, now emerges as a likely candidate to replace Klopp. Despite being younger than Alonso, Amorim boasts more experience in top-flight management.
It was initially believed that activating Amorim’s release clause would rank him among the priciest managerial signings. However, the Daily Telegraph has disclosed that the termination fee is notably less than the figures reported in Portugal.
The British publication states that Amorim’s buyout clause is actually €15m, equivalent to approximately £12.8m.
Concerns had been raised about a potential fee nearing €20m (£17.1m), but reports suggest it might even fall to €10m (£8.6m) by next summer. While this reduction doesn’t benefit Liverpool’s immediate need for a manager this year, the realization that the cost is lower than expected offers some comfort.
