Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim has responded to rumours linking him with the Liverpool job following Xabi Alonso's decision to stay at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Reds will be waving goodbye to the long-serving Jurgen Klopp in just under three months' time after the German announced his intention to step down from his position at the end of the season.
Once the dust had settled from Klopp's resignation bombshell, Reds fans began to roll the red carpet out for former midfielder Alonso, whose Bayer Leverkusen side are on the cusp of Bundesliga title glory.
However, the former Champions League winner has now confirmed that he will be remaining with Leverkusen for the 2024-25 campaign, forcing Liverpool to look down their list of alternative managerial targets.
Amorim - another relative managerial novice, albeit one with an extensive CV of success in Portugal - is thought to be the Reds' number one candidate to take charge now that Alonso has ruled himself out of the running, and he was quizzed on the links on Friday.
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Amorim "very happy" at Sporting Lisbon
The 39-year-old was speaking to the media after Sporting's 2-1 Primeira Liga win over Estrela Amadora on Friday, and he highlighted his long-running contract with the Portuguese giants, which does not expire until 2026 and is said to include a £12.8m release clause.
However, Amorim also made a slightly cryptic comment, telling reporters that they will see what happens with his future "in the end", saying: "Right now, I'm focused on Sporting. I'm very proud to be Sporting's coach.
"We're focused on winning titles. You'll see in the end. I have a contract and I'm very happy here. That's the most important thing, more than contracts, I'm very happy here. The focus is on beating Benfica in the Portuguese Cup."
Amorim has managed exclusively in Portugal since hanging up his boots in 2017, but the former Braga head coach has already won five major honours during his time with Sporting, including the 2020-21 top-flight title.
The 39-year-old's side are also one point clear of Benfica at the top of the Primeira Liga table with a game in hand, but Liverpool are not expected to put all their managerial eggs in one basket.
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What coaches are also on Liverpool's radar?
While Alonso's confirmation of his Leverkusen stay came as an excruciating blow to the Liverpool faithful, Fenway Sports Group and other club chiefs had supposedly always been of the view that the Spaniard would stay put in Germany.
As such, the American owners - who made an astute acquisition by persuading Michael Edwards to return as their CEO of Football - are running the rule over several other esteemed names, one of whom is believed to be Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi.
The Seagulls have been heralded for their attacking style and commitment to playing out from the back under the Italian, but he would prove to be an even more expensive hire owing to his termination clause of £17.1m.
Links with Julian Nagelsmann were always going to materialise too, especially with the 36-year-old only contracted to Germany until after Euro 2024, but he is not believed to be high up on FSG's shortlist.
Following the disappointing Alonso news, Liverpool can put smiles back on their fans' faces on Sunday, where a point against De Zerbi's Brighton would temporarily take them back to the top of the Premier League table.
Ben Knapton
