Ruben Amorim: Liverpool now face SERIOUS competition for top target

Liverpool face serious competition for their top managerial target. The Reds lost out on Xabi Alonso - now they may lose out on Ruben Amorim.

The Independent reports that Barcelona are now 'racing' to snap up Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim. This comes after the Portuguese manager became the favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

The Reds had previously put Xabi Alonso at the top of their shortlist, with Amorim seen by outsiders as their probable backup. With the Spaniard remaining with Bayer Leverkusen, the latter is now viewed as Liveprool's no.1 choice.

That's worried Barcelona, who are also on a managerial hunt this summer. Xavi Hernandez will step down, opening the vacancy in Catalonia.

They want Amorim above all, but suddenly face fierce competition for him. Thus Barcelona are racing to seal the deal and grab their new manager before Liverpool can get him.

Barcelona want Ruben Amorim

It's an interesting one as Deco appeared to rule out Amorim becoming Barcelona's new boss a couple of months ago. In fact, he was strangely open about it and mentioned the manager by name.

"How many Portuguese coaches are prepared for the weight and responsibility of taking care of Barcelona, ​​even more so this Barcelona with all the difficulties it carries?" he told the press in January. "You tell me.

“I know that Ruben Amorim is doing a good job at Sporting and, on top of that, he plays with a style similar to ours. But he also has very little experience.”

Perhaps things have changed there, then. It's unclear who else Barcelona would go for, admittedly - perhaps Hansi Flick or Julian Nagelsmann.

Both have been linked with the Liverpool job, too, though the latter far more. And if Barcelona manage to snap-up Amorim, they'll be linked a lot more.

Liverpool have a tougher job on their hands than they could have imagined when Jurgen Klopp announced he'd step down. A bizarre number of top European clubs are on the hunt at the same time - and it's making this all a far fiercer fight than anyone predicted.