Barcelona race to secure Ruben Amorim and leave Liverpool with two alternative manager targets

Barcelona are racing to try and secure the appointment of Ruben Amorim, in the knowledge that he has now become the top choice for a series of major European clubs.

The Catalan club had been seen as favourites for the Sporting Lisbon coach, up until last week, as it was revealed that Xabi Alonso would be staying at Bayer Leverkusen for one more season.

The widespread feeling from industry figures directly working in this summer’s frenetic managerial market had been that Amorim would go to Barcelona and Alonso to one of Liverpool or Bayern Munich, with the Anfield club more likely to get the Basque tactician.

Alonso had been the outstanding choice for a number of clubs, and one reason Barcelona were more preoccupied with procuring Amorim was that they felt he was more attainable with so much focus on the Bayer Leverkusen manager.

Yet, Sporting’s high release clause, understood to be around €13m (£11.1m), was one of a few reasons nothing had yet been confirmed.

That has now drastically changed, with clubs that had been prioritising Alonso now looking at Amorim. Although the Portuguese played down interest in him in the last week, he has become the top target for a number of European clubs.

Liverpool had long seen him as the next best choice after Xabi Alonso, although it is understood that the recent appointment of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes in technical roles had brought some change to the Anfield club’s thinking.

With the role of a “head coach” to succeed Jurgen Klopp to be slightly re-interpreted, it may mean they are more flexible.

Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi are among those on an expanded list at Anfield.

Julian Nagelsmann is also being given much greater consideration by a series of clubs, as it has been made known that the German national team manager would be willing to go back into club management after Euro 2024.

Bayern Munich are again looking at a manager they sacked just a year ago. Nagelsmann is also of increasing interest to Manchester United, should they decide to dispense with Erik ten Hag.