Liverpool is on the verge of confirming Ruben Amorim as the successor to Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, with Manchester United’s skipper Bruno Fernandes already praising the esteemed coach.
In January, Klopp revealed his intention to resign from his managerial role at season’s end due to exhaustion.
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Since his arrival at Anfield in October 2015, the German has crafted a legendary Liverpool squad, clinching the Champions League in 2019 and securing their inaugural Premier League crown in three decades the following year.
Klopp’s final campaign could be crowned with another Premier League victory, as Liverpool currently shares the second spot with Arsenal, both teams neck-and-neck with seven matches to go.
Initially, Liverpool had eyed ex-Reds player Xabi Alonso as Klopp’s potential replacement, but he opted to remain with Bayer Leverkusen, poised to win the Bundesliga.
Subsequently, Liverpool showed interest in Sporting Lisbon’s Amorim, and it’s reported that he has verbally consented to join Liverpool.
Amorim, who earned 14 caps as a Portuguese midfielder, has guided Sporting to a Primeira Liga championship and two Portuguese League Cups since assuming control in 2020.
With Amorim at the helm, Sporting is on track to reclaim the Portuguese title, currently leading their closest competitors, Benfica, by four points with an extra match at their disposal.
At 39, Amorim is regarded as one of Europe’s most promising managers and has been commended by Manchester United’s Fernandes, who, during the last international break, expressed his desire for Amorim to remain at Sporting but also affirmed his capability to excel in any of Europe’s major leagues.
‘If he really takes the next step – I hope he stays at Sporting – but if he takes the next step, I think all the qualities are there to be able to succeed in English, French, or Spanish football,’ Fernandes – who left Sporting for United just two months before Amorim took charge – told SportTV.
‘Obviously, we know that the Premier League is probably the most desired. The qualities [to succeed in England] are there and he has everything to take the next step, in my opinion.
‘But it will depend on the clubs, the directors, whether they want to pay the Sporting’s release clause or not.’
Ruben Amorim has emerged as a managerial candidate for Manchester United amid Erik ten Hag’s challenges in persuading the club’s leadership of a turnaround.
Additionally, Fulham and Portuguese national team player Joao Palhinha has lauded Amorim, endorsing his fellow countryman’s potential success at the helm of Liverpool.
‘Ruben is a coach with a lot of quality, one of the best in Portugal. He has done an excellent job since Braga,’ the Fulham midfielder told Portuguese outlet O Jogo.
‘He has in-depth knowledge of the game and has a close relationship with the players.
‘The way he is growing, he won’t stay in Portugal much longer. It will not be for lack of opportunities that he will not leave Portugal.
‘He dreams and aims to win another title with Sporting and then the future will be in his hands.’
When asked whether Amorim has the ‘capacity’ to manage a club of Liverpool’s stature, Palhinha 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.’
