Ruben Amorim says his focus is fully on Sporting, not Liverpool
Liverpool continues to monitor Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim, but the Portuguese manager refuses to commit to a future. The 39-year-old coach emerged as one of the top candidates to replace the outgoing Jurgen Klopp at the end of the current campaign. The German has led the Anfield side since October 2015. Yet, Amorim is not ready to fill that void yet.
Speaking after Sporting’s win over Estrela Amadora in the Primeira Liga, Amorim said his full focus is on Sporting. The Portuguese club still has the chance to win two trophies this season. It is in a two-horse race with Benfica in league play, with Sporting holding a slight edge. Then, the two are also playing in the Taca de Portugal semifinals. The second leg of that competition is tomorrow. Benfica will enter that game with a 2-1 lead on aggregate.
Amorim said his future is about more than contracts and money. The former Benfica midfielder played most of his professional career in Portugal. Now, he is developing rapidly in the Primeira Liga.
“Right now, I’m focused on Sporting,” Amorim said. “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.”
Amorim took over the Sporting job in March 2020. In his first full season in charge, Sporting won the Portuguese top flight behind 23 goals from Pedro Goncalves. That was Sporting’s first league title in 19 years, and it showed what Amorim is capable of as a coach.
Does Sporting commitment rule out Ruben Amorim?
Liverpool supporters may be slightly perturbed by Amorim saying he is fully focusing on his time at Sporting. Few job opportunities are as valuable as Liverpool given the facilities on offer at Anfield. Yet, Amorim remains firmly in the running to be the next manager of Liverpool. Given the Portuguese’s current contract at Sporting, Liverpool would have to pay a release clause to acquire the manager.
According to The Mirror, Liverpool would have to pay $16 million to bring Amorim to Anfield this summer. Interestingly, that figure falls to $12 million at the end of the following campaign, but that does not overly concern Liverpool, which is in need of a manager urgently.
However, if Ruben Amorim does elect to stay in Portugal with Sporting, there are other managers Liverpool can turn to. The most likely option now appears to be Roberto de Zerbi of Brighton and Hove Albion. De Zerbi just coached Brighton at Anfield, as he watched his Seagulls surrender the lead to lose to Jurgen Klopp’s side. The most likely option always seemed to be Xabi Alonso, the former Liverpool midfielder who is leading Bayer Leverkusen to an undefeated season. However, the Spaniard said he will stay at Bayer Leverkusen for one more season as his side looks bound to win the Bundesliga for the first time in 2023/24.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.