Barcelona is looking at Rubén Amorim as a potential successor to Xavi Hernández and is believed to be closer to the Sporting Lisbon coach than any of his main European rivals.
The Portuguese manager is the most attractive option in Europe after Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso. The market for a coach and sporting director is likely to be at a fever pitch this summer.
This was followed by Xavi’s announcement that he will resign at the end of the season, and Barcelona, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich will all be looking for a new coach, at the very least.
Jurgen Klopp will leave Liverpool, while Thomas Tuchel will only be in charge of Bayern until the end of the season. Manchester United also has Eric ten Hag’s future in jeopardy.
Liverpool and Bayern have so far preferred Alonso, who has played as a midfielder for both clubs, but the two teams are also interested in Amorim.
According to The Independent, unlike the other two clubs, Barcelona currently favors the Portuguese manager over other options, which would give them a significant advantage in beating the clubs that missed out on Alonso.
Amorim energized Sporting to win their first league title in 19 years in 2021. He has become one of the most in-demand individuals as a manager this summer, and all clubs looking for a manager are seriously interested in Amorim.
Meanwhile, Liverpool is also interested in younger directors such as Roberto De Zerbi and Julian Nagelsmann, in case they miss out on the Spaniard. Both candidates would be selected with a long-term perspective, being around 40 years old.
Which club will two of this summer’s favorites, Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim, be in charge next season…?