PORTO, Portugal — Rúben Amorim has had better weeks. The Sporting CP coach began it as the leading candidate to replace Jürgen Klopp as Liverpool manager, but it ended with the 39-year-old apologising for a meeting with West Ham United in London prior to dropping two points against FC Porto in the race for the Portuguese title.
Quite a bit went on in between, too, but at the end of it all it is Feyenoord’s Arne Slot who set to be heading to Anfield to take on the challenge of succeeding Klopp. Meanwhile, the future for Amorim — who appeared at two World Cups for Portugal during his playing career — looks increasingly uncertain.
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Sources have told ESPN that Amorim’s determination to remain loyal to his 3-4-3 formation was one factor in Liverpool’s decision to opt for Slot. The €15 million ($16m) release clause in Amorim’s Sporting contract, which runs until 2026, was less of a factor, but it is still a considerable financial outlay for any club when coupled with salary expectations in the region of €12m-a-year. But with Amorim reluctant to compromise his tactical philosophy, plus the cost of hiring him, any club that identifies the former Braga coach as their No. 1 target will have to factor in both crucial elements.
With a five-point lead over Benfica at the top of the Primeira Liga and just three games left to play, Amorim is almost certain to lead Sporting to a second title in three seasons, meaning his reputation as one of Europe’s rising coaching stars will be undimmed. But with Liverpool looking elsewhere, Barcelona persuading Xavi Hernández to U-turn on his decision to quit as coach and Bayern Munich closing in on Ralf Rangnick, the former Manchester United interim manager now coaching the Austria national team, the three big jobs Amorim had been linked with in recent weeks are all likely to be filled by somebody else.
West Ham might yet return for more detailed talks than last week’s flying visit if, or more likely when, they part company with David Moyes. However, former Real Madrid, Sevilla and Wolverhampton Wanderers coach Julen Lopetegui is another strong contender for the job at the London Stadium. If either Chelsea or Manchester United create their own managerial vacancy this summer due to ongoing doubts over the future of Mauricio Pochettino and Erik Ten Hag respectively, Amorim could yet land the big job that his track record at Sporting is pointing toward. But, right now, the top jobs are going to others.
The big issue with Amorim is his tactical philosophy and loyalty to a three-man defensive formation, anchored by the former Liverpool defender Sebastián Coates who is generally flanked by Gonçalo Inacio on the left and Ousmane Diomande on the right. In front of the back three, Amorim deploys two strong, energetic midfielders from Hidemasa Morita, Daniel Bragança and Morten Hjulmand. Up front, the prolific Sweden forward Viktor Gyökeres, a bargain €20m signing from Coventry City last summer, has scored 26 goals in 30 league games this season, including two in 60 seconds against Porto on Sunday to salvage a point in a 2-2 draw.
