Liverpool managerial target refuses to take Xabi Alonso’s route and keeps the door open ahead of the summer

Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim drops major hint on the potential move to Liverpool after admitting his future is uncertain

Ruben Amorim admits that he cannot commit his future to Sporting CP amid links to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. The 39-year-old is currently challenging for the Liga Portugal, competing with Benfica for his second league title with his club.

The Portuguese club appointed Amorim in the latter stages of the 2019-20 season, guiding them to a fourth-place finish. He used the summer window to reinforce his team and managed to win their first league title in 19 years.

Verde e Brancos also won back-to-back Taca da Liga under him in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Amorim developed numerous players during his tenure at the club while turning them into a formidable contender in Liga Portugal.

Before Amorim, Porto and Benfica dominated the league as the two supreme clubs in the nation. The 39-year-old’s managerial skills and influence earned him and his club a lot of reputation in Europe.

Amorim uses a 3-4-3 formation where his three defenders play a crucial role in building the play from the backline. He uses a possessional-based attacking football with fluid attackers up front containing two inside forwards and a central forward.

The 39-year-old uses targeted counter-pressing instead of all-out counter-pressing as his players push opponents in a particular space. The defenders aggressively hunt for the ball the opponent player takes possession in the targeted space.

Amorim told reporters (h/t Fabrizio Romano’s X account) that he cannot guarantee his future with Sporting CP after this season. He said:

“I can NOT guarantee that I will stay at Sporting next season. I can’t say that like Xabi Alonso did. We have time to discuss my future, we will do that at the right time. Now focus on winning titles and then we will see what happens”.

Klopp announced in January that he is stepping back from the managerial role at the end of the season. The Liverpool owners have restructured the management since then, making drastic changes to get ready for the new era.

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Michael Edwards has control of the football operation and Richard Hughes is the new sporting director at the club. Amorim’s young age and philosophy match the profile that Liverpool desires and he has built a similar culture that Klopp built during his tenure.