Liverpool look like they may now be able to count one manager out of their search for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement.
The Reds have plenty of problems on the pitch right now, but their biggest decision of the next few weeks will still come away from the field of play.
With just five weeks to go until the end of the season, Liverpool need to get a shift on in deciding who will follow Klopp as their next manager.
Despite reports that Ruben Amorim is the heavy favourite, the Reds are seemingly still considering a number of options in the dugout.
But having already seen Xabi Alonso rule himself out of the running, it now looks likely that Liverpool will miss out on another of their supposed targets.
Julian Nagelsmann moves closer to Bayern Munich
As things stand, it would perhaps be a surprise to many if Amorim were not the man installed at Anfield ahead of next season. The 39-year-old is certainly an outstanding candidate.
However, as recently as this morning journalist David Ornstein has suggested that we may yet see an outsider move to the front of the pack.
Ornstein doesn’t name any names, but having previously ruled out Roberto De Zerbi, it would seem as though Julian Nagelsmann could be one of those outsiders. The German coach had reportedly scored well on internal data searches from Liverpool, alongside Amorim.
However, with Bayern Munich also looking for a new head coach, Nagelsmann has been in running there, too. And according to German journalist Florian Plettenberg on X, the 36-year-old is moving closer to re-joining his former club.
“His return to FC Bayern is becoming more and more concrete,” Plettenberg reports. “Advanced talks now and plans about a three- or four-year contract. Nagelsmann can imagine to return to Bayern but has not yet given his final green light. No final agreements yet.
“But: Bayern’s feeling is that the search for a new coach is now close to the finish line. Since Alonso’s rejection, the discussions with Nagelsmann have intensified. Eberl and Freund led the negotiations with his agency “Sports360″. In addition to Nagelsmann, there are two other options on the shortlist: De Zerbi & Emery. However, Nagelsmann is supposed to become the new coach of FC Bayern!”
What other options do Liverpool have
As things stand, it’s hard to come away with any other conclusion that Amorim is the man for Liverpool. With De Zerbi seemingly dropping out of the running, Nagelsmann had seemed like the only other realistic candidate.
You can’t rule out that Liverpool will do something a little unexpected, but that would be a huge gamble.
Should they take that path though, maybe the Reds could go for someone like Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, who’s doing a great job this season. Thiago Motta of Bologna should also be somewhere in the running.
Things are now being quickly narrowed down for Liverpool. Decisions need to start being made.