Liverpool are honing in on who they want to replace Jurgen Klopp as manager this summer.
The Reds were widely expected to make a big push to hire former midfielder Xabi Alonso to succeed Klopp. However, after the Spaniard opted to stay in his current job, the cat has been set amongst the pigeons.
There are still some serious contenders regularly filling the column inches. Ruben Amorim is the name now most heavily linked with taking over at Anfield.
Roberto De Zerbi has also often been mentioned, but after today’s update from journalist David Ornstein, that now looks unlikely.
Instead, Ornstein has put forward another name that could now be in the running. And it’s a very interesting one, too.
Liverpool looking at curveball hire
Without Alonso in the mix, Liverpool fans will now have differing ideas over who should be in the dugout next season. Some will be sold on Amorim, who does look like a top-tier coach in waiting. Others will be more sceptical, and would prefer a more proven manager, someone like Ange Postecoglou perhaps.
Those favouring Amorim may be doing so in the belief that he’s virtually nailed on to get the job. However, according to Ornstein on The Athletic FC Podcast, there actually isn’t a front-runner per se. Instead, Liverpool may be looking at a name that hardly anyone is mentioning: Thiago Motta.
“There isn’t a standout candidate so far,” says the journalist. “Because of the process it’s been suggested to us that guys like Thiago Motta at Bologna scored very well on the data. Simone Inzaghi at Inter Milan scored well on the data – although there’s been clear suggestions that his English is too limited for a position like this and also that he might be looking to renew his contract at Inter.”
Digging deeper on these links, Ornstein said that Richard Hughes’ contacts in Italy made it worth keeping an eye on Serie A.
“Quite a few people have suggested just to keep an eye on the Italian market,” he says. “Richard Hughes has very close links there. We’ve mentioned some potentials already.”
Read More: Why Liverpool should be seriously looking at hiring Thiago Motta
Who is Thiago Motta
It’s somewhat bizarre that Motta’s name has largely been omitted from any speculation up to this point. Over the past few days, some rumblings have sounded that Liverpool have spoken about his potential hiring. But aside from that, it’s been relatively quiet on the Bologna boss.
Given how well he’s doing in Serie A, that shouldn’t be the case. In fact, there’s a case to be made that Motta’s work with the Rossoblu has been just as impressive as that of Amorim’s or Alonso’s at Sporting and Leverkusen respectively.
No, the former Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSG midfielder doesn’t have his team sitting top of the league. But he does have them up in fourth place. Bearing in mind the size of the club, that’s a remarkable feat.
Motta has been at Bologna since 2022, and took them to an 11-year high of 9th place last year. While this may not mark him out as someone destined for the Liverpool job, it does make the 41-year-old one to watch. We suggest Reds fans start doing just that.