Jurgen Klopp’s successful reign at Liverpool is coming to an end and the Reds are being heavily linked with Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim as his most likely replacement.
Xabi Alonso was the early favourite to be the next boss at Anfield but the former midfielder has committed himself to Bayer Leverkusen.
Roberto de Zerbi and Amorim are the two names being most strongly associated with the job and while the Brighton manager is well known to the majority of Reds fans, the Portuguese is more of an unknown quantity.
But while he is not yet 40, he already has considerable pedigree.
Amorim led the Portuguese side to a first league title in 19 years at the age of just 36 when they won it in 2021, and that success prompted him to be linked with a host of top clubs from around Europe.
So what could Liverpool fans expect from Amorim, what is his management style and does he have the personality to replace Klopp? BBC Sport takes a look.
Amorim’s background
A former Benfica and Portugal midfielder, Amorim retired as a player in 2018 and first made his mark as a coach the following year, when an impressive stint in charge of Braga’s reserve team saw him promoted to first-team boss.
Ten wins in 13 games – including a first victory at Benfica for 65 years – soon caught the eye of bigger clubs and, so keen were Sporting to secure his services that they paid 10m euros (£8.6m) to make him their manager in March 2020.
That was the third-highest transfer fee paid for a manager but it soon proved money well spent as Amorim led the club on a 32-match unbeaten run to claim the Portuguese league cup and end their almost two-decade wait for a league title.
Former Liverpool and Portugal defender Abel Xavier spent time with Amorim while they were taking their coaching badges and was impressed with what he saw from the outset.
“He is very humble, discreet, and has a very clear mindset,” he told BBC World Service.
“At Braga we saw an immediate impact because with the same squad, with the same players, he transformed the team.
“He put in place his ideas, he changed the dynamic, he created empathy, and of course a big club like Sporting Lisbon paid to have him.
“The first thing that this president said was that ‘we believe that the money I’m paying for Ruben Amorim is going to prevail and he’s going to create value in the youth development players and also get results’, and he was correct.”
What style of football does Amorim play?
Amorim’s management style will be familiar to several players in the Premier League – Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes, Tottenham’s Pedro Porro and Joao Palhinha of Fulham were all part of his 2020-21 title-winning side.
At Sporting, the 39-year-old has often favoured a 3-4-3 formation, playing in a low block with attacking wing-backs pushing high up the pitch.
Off the ball they press aggressively, much like Klopp’s Liverpool, and counter-attack quickly when in possession.
“Ruben is a coach with a lot of quality, one of the best in Portugal,” Palhinha told Portuguese outlet O Jogo.
“He has done an excellent job since Braga. He has in-depth knowledge of the game and has a close relationship with the players.”
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is also a fan.
“I think all the qualities are there to be able to succeed in English, French, or Spanish football,” he told SportTV.
“Obviously, we know that the Premier League is probably the most desired. The qualities [to succeed in England] are there and he has everything to take the next step, in my opinion.”
Liverpool have relied on several youngsters this season – with the likes of Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah playing regularly and impressing – so Reds fans will welcome the fact that youth development is also close to Amorim’s heart.
At Sporting, Nuno Mendes – now at Paris St-Germain – was introduced from the academy to play a key role in the title win in 2021, while former Wolves youngster Pedro Goncalves hit 23 goals that season. He has reached double figures every season since under Amorim.
“The identity of Sporting was always youth development,” Xavier added.
“In recent years, before Ruben, they went more into investments and the club won nothing. With the signing of Ruben, they returned to this identity.”
A perfect fit for Liverpool?
Should Amorim become Liverpool manager, he will have the difficult task of trying to build on the success of Klopp in his nine years at the club.
The German has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup during his time at Anfield and there could be more trophies before he departs.
However, European football journalist Guillem Balague believes Amorim has the personality to rise to such a challenge.
“He has charisma, speaks very well – very good English – and he is very, very close to players,” Balague said.
“I think he has all the attributes to be a very, very good manager. He would not be scared and would be able to deal with everything Liverpool would be able to bring to him.”
Xavier, who joined Liverpool from Everton in the Gerard Houllier era, agrees.
“Liverpool’s philosophy was never signing the best players in the world,” he added.
“They can afford it, but under Klopp they want to have the best collective team in the world. I think Ruben’s approach is very similar. I played at Liverpool, and I know the exact mentality and identity.
“With a lot of respect to Sporting Lisbon, I would like to see Amorim at Liverpool, and I think that he will be a major signing concerning the importance of finding the correct person after Klopp.”