Liverpool have a lot of work to do behind the scenes between now and the end of the season.
The duel appointment of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes is an excellent start to that, but now the really decisive action needs to begin.
Hughes in particular has his work cut out. As the man tasked with finding Jurgen Klopp’s successor, as well as driving the club’s summer transfer business, the former Portsmouth midfielder will be a busy bee.
The priority of course remains securing who will be in the dugout at Anfield next season. Xabi Alonso appears to remain the favourite for now, although doubts still persist over his willingness to leave Bayer Leverkusen.
As a result, journalist Fabrizio Romano has now suggested that Liverpool have found themselves their ideal alternative to the Spaniard.
What has Fabrizio Romano said
The king of the transfer market, Romano has also been keeping fans up to date on Liverpool’s new manager search.
Just last week, the journalist claimed that Liverpool are set for a ‘crazy battle’ with Bayern Munich over Alonso. And speaking to the Men In Blazers podcast yesterday, Romano reiterated that notion.
However, pushed on the situation for Liverpool if they can’t land their top target, the Italian reporter named Sporting’s Ruben Amorim as the second ‘concrete candidate.’
“Ruben Amorim is a concrete candidate for the Liverpool job,” Romano explains. “I think he’s in position number two from what I’m told. He also has a release clause in his new contract – 30 millions Euros. It’s difficult to negotiate with Portuguese clubs when release clauses are there especially for special people like Ruben Amorim.
“But for sure the interest from Liverpool is there. I think Amorim is in position number two and is a candidate for the Liverpool job, in this moment more than Roberto De Zerbi.”
Ruben Amorim second-choice for Liverpool
This is superb news. Up until this point, it has seemed like the three coaches Romano names are the only ones genuinely in the frame to be Liverpool’s next manager.
Of those three, Alonso would obviously be a lot of people’s preferred choice. However, there is potentially an argument that Amorim may even be a more sensible option.
For us, Brighton’s form under De Zerbi this season should have seen him firmly ruled out of the running. Thankfully, it looks as though that’s the way Liverpool’s thinking is going, too.
Given the hype surrounding Alonso at the moment, some fans may see it as the end of the world if he doesn’t join the Reds. If it means that Amorim is the man brought in though, then we don’t see much of an issue. The choice is getting narrowed down. Amorim or Alonso. Pick your fighter.