Liverpool look to be edging closer to making a decision on who will be their next manager.
The Reds have a maximum of 10 games left under Jurgen Klopp, with failure to beat Atalanta by three goals or more this evening reducing that to six.
In short, time is ticking and FSG need to start getting their ducks in a row. To be fair to Liverpool’s owners they have put a team in place to make sure the appointment at Anfield is handled by the right people.
In that respect their man on the ground is Michael Edwards. Having been brought back to Liverpool in a more senior role, Edwards and new sporting director Richard Hughes are handling the search for Klopp’s successor.
And according to a report from TeamTALK today, the pair have now honed in on the candidate they want in charge next season.
Michael Edwards hands Ruben Amorim contract
Sorting out the right manager to come in after Klopp was always going to be a tricky business. It can be tough to negotiate with candidates while the season is ongoing.
Liverpool found that with Xabi Alonso. Perhaps had his Bayer Leverkusen team not been doing quite as well as they had, Alonso could have taken his eye off the ball a little and spoken to his old club.
In the end, you imagine that the pressure and distractions of the current campaign factored into his decision to stay put.
Having been through that, Liverpool will also be wary of disrupting Sporting and Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese coach has emerged as the most likely candidate after Alonso. Nevertheless, there were claims last week that the Reds had actually reached an agreement with Amorim.
But with his team going for a league and cup double, the 39-year-old has since furiously denied those reports.
According to TeamTALK though, there is actually a contract offer on the table for Amorim at Liverpool. They claim that Edwards is the man behind it, and has handed the manager a three-year deal. Amorim is said to be ‘keen to accept.’
Have Liverpool really offered Amorim a contract
At this stage of the season, it seems very likely that Liverpool have spoken with the managers they intend to interview. If not, then they’re leaving it very late indeed.
As a result, we imagine that there will have been some kind of contact with Amorim. The Sporting boss is one of Europe’s most outstanding young coaches and seems set to be available.
As Micah Richards told The Rest Is Football podcast this week – Amorim also ‘plays attacking football.’ Why wouldn’t Liverpool be interested.
However, Amorim really has been adamant over the past couple of weeks. He has not ‘guaranteed’ that he’ll still be in Lisbon next season but otherwise he’s been firm in his wish not to discuss his plans.
You can understand why all parties would want it that way. It may be best to keep things quiet until a line has been drawn under the campaign. An agreement will surely be reached with someone a while before then, though. So, in summary, we’ll just have to wait and see!