Barcelona could beat Liverpool to the appointment of in-demand Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim this summer, the Independent reports.
The Spanish champions are among several clubs in the market for a new manager after Xavi Hernandez announced his intention to abdicate his seat in the dugout at the end of the season.
The Spaniard, who led Barca to the La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup last season, has a contract until 2025 but has decided to leave the La Liga giants by mutual consent this summer.
Xavi could be convinced to remain at Barca, but the club are already scouring the market for potential alternatives, and Amorim is now on their radar.
The Portuguese managerial prodigy has been touted as a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp, who is set for an emotional Liverpool exit at the end of the season.
While he has reaffirmed his commitment to Sporting, Amorim continues to be linked with some of the top jobs in Europe, and Barca could be his next landing spot.
Liverpool had identified Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso as their primary target. But they were handed a huge blow when the Spaniard decided to remain at BayArena for at least one more season.
The Reds could also miss out on Amorim with Barca now entering the fray, leaving them with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Roberto De Zerbi and Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi as alternatives.
De Zerbi got a chance to audition for the job last weekend when his Brighton side travelled to Anfield to take on Liverpool.
While they gave the Reds a proper battle, the Italian ended up on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline, but he certainly gave the Liverpool hierarchy something to think about.
Julian Nagelsmann is also an option for Liverpool, with the German willing to return to club management after the upcoming European Championship.
However, they will face competition from Nagelsmann’s former employers, Bayern Munich, who are keen to bring him back to the Allianz Arena as a replacement for Thomas Tuchel.
