Liverpool’s new manager search is ramping up as the season enters its home straight.
The Reds are yet to install a successor for Jurgen Klopp, who announced back in January that he’ll call time on his Liverpool career at the end of the campaign.
We’re now barely a month away from that finale and the Reds are still whittling down their options. Without a clear front-runner, it’s been claimed that Liverpool are looking at as many as five different candidates.
Ruben Amorim currently looks like he could be the favourite, but there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding who will be in the Anfield dugout next season.
One of those reported to be on Liverpool’s radar is Bologna boss Thiago Motta. And judging from his agent’s comments in the Italian press this week, Motta is one to keep a close eye on.
What has Thiago Motta’s agent said
Motta has been doing a superb job at Bologna since arriving in 2022 and we think he’d be a really good appointment for Liverpool.
With his team currently sitting in the dizzy heights of fourth spot in Serie A, the 41-year-old is a young manager who looks like he could make it to the top.
As a result, it’s only natural that Motta would be in the conversation for some of the big jobs going around Europe this summer.
Along with Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Barcelona are also looking for replacements to lead their teams. Like Liverpool, Bayern wanted Alonso while Barca seem keen on Amorim. Someone’s going to be left disappointed.
So, when asked by Tuttomercatoweb whether Motta is going to stay at Bologna for next season, it wasn’t a surprise to hear his agent, Alessandro Canovi, strike a coy tone.
“I can’t say, because I don’t have negotiations with anyone,” says Canovi. “You can’t talk about things that aren’t in place. The situation of the big names? The confirmation of Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen has opened up several important candidacies for Liverpool and Bayern Munich. As well as Barcelona. It’s three interesting and highly coveted benches now.”
Is Thiago Motta in the mix for Liverpool
It’s worth noting here that Motta’s contract at Bologna is actually due to expire at the end of the 2023/24 campaign. Consequently, it does feel likely that he’ll leave.
The parallels with Alonso could lead to conclusions that he will stay another year before deciding to move on. But it’s also true that Motta is a more experienced head coach than the Spaniard. He might feel as though he’s more ready for a top job.
If he does, then Liverpool really should be in the mix. He may not be the most glamourous name on the Reds’ list of targets, but Motta looks like a proper coach.
It’s been claimed that Richard Hughes’ Italian connections could also be a factor in Liverpool’s search. If that ends up being the case, then there’s only one candidate we should be considering.