Liverpool fans are reeling this morning after learning that Xabi Alonso will not be their new manager.
Alonso had emerged as the outstanding candidate to succeed Jurgen Klopp when he leaves the club at the end of the season.
However, as per multiple reports last night, the 42-year-old will turn his nose up at Liverpool’s advances in order to continue his work at Bayer Leverkusen. In the midst of a record-breaking campaign, that will delight all associated with the German club.
For Liverpool though, it’s back to square one. Fortunately, they have often been claimed to have other names in the hat too, with Sporting’s Ruben Amorim reportedly second in line, behind Alonso.
And as focus starts to turn to the Portuguese coach, The Times have shared exactly what Liverpool need to do to get him to Anfield.
Read more – Why Ruben Amorin might actually be a better fit for Liverpool than Alonso
Liverpool learn Amorim release clause
There’s a line of thinking that Amorin would actually be a better fit for Liverpool than Alonso. At 39, he is a little younger than the Spaniard, but has more experience in the senior game and has won more to boot.
He wasn’t the calibre of player that Alonso was and would have to get used to being at a top, top club. But given the way he’s taken things in his stride thus far, that shouldn’t be a problem for him.
Obviously, Sporting aren’t going to want to lose Amorim, though. They will have a say in this. As Fabrizio Romano said yesterday, Portuguese sides don’t tend to go down without a fight when it comes to losing their best assets.
They tend to insert enormous release clauses into their best player’s contracts and as it turns out, Amorim also has a set fee Liverpool would have to stump up to land him. The Times report that the Reds are going to have to pay £17m to ensure Amorim’s release from Lisbon.
Now, if that were for a player sitting atop Liverpool’s shortlist, then they surely wouldn’t think twice about it. But for whatever reason, managers aren’t seen in the same way. Knowing FSG, you can’t say for sure that it won’t put them off.
What’s the record fee spent on a manager
Somewhat remarkably, if Liverpool paid the £17m to get Amorim, it would be the third highest fee paid for a manager in history.
Ironically, another coach said to be on the Reds’ list – Julian Nagelsmann – currently holds the title as the world’s most expensive boss. Bayern Munich paid around £21.7m to take him from RB Leipzig in 2021.
Second on the list is Graham Potter, who Chelsea bought for £20m in 2022. Chelsea also hold the current third-place, having signed Andre Villas-Boas for just over £13m in 2011.
A young Portuguese coach coming to England for a big fee having done remarkably well in his homeland? Let’s hope that if the release clause is paid and Amorim is the man for Liverpool that he doesn’t go the same was as Villas-Boas.