Ornstein claims Amorim to Liverpool is ‘unlikely’ as West Ham ‘hold talks’ to replace Moyes

The Athletic journalist David Ornstein insists Liverpool are now ‘unlikely’ to appoint Ruben Amorim and the Sporting Lisbon boss could be on his way to West Ham instead.

The Reds are on the lookout for a new manager after Jurgen Klopp announced earlier this season that he will be leaving Anfield in the summer to take a break from football.

Xabi Alonso emerged as the early favourite for the job before he ruled himself out by confirming he will be staying on as Bayer Leverkusen boss next term.

West Ham more likely to land Amorim than Liverpool?

That news led to Sporting Lisbon manager Amorim being installed as the new favourite with rumours that Liverpool had even come to a ‘verbal agreement’ with the Portuguese coach.

However, Amorim quickly moved to deny any such agreement and insisted that he had not even had an interview with Liverpool or any other club.

Amorim told a press conference: “This is the last time I’m going to talk about my future. There’s been no interview, let alone an agreement. The only thing we all want is to be champions with Sporting, and nothing will change.

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“I’m Sporting’s coach. There’s been no interview with any club, no agreement with any club. I’m just focussed, as always, on defending my club. As I no longer have anything to say, there will be no interviews or agreements with the Sporting coach. That subject is completely settled, whether for this club or another.”

Despite that, rumours that he could take over from Klopp have persisted with a number of Amorim’s players at Sporting Lisbon linked to Anfield too.

But now The Athletic‘s David Ornstein insists that Liverpool’s Premier League rivals West Ham ‘held talks over an ambitious move to appoint Ruben Amorim as manager if David Moyes leaves the club’.

Liverpool to move on from Amorim?

With Moyes out of contract in the summer, Ornstein adds that the Hammers – who have also been linked with former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui – ‘are duty-bound to formulate contingency plans and Amorim features prominently in their thinking, with discussions taking place between the parties.’

On interest from Liverpool in Amorim, Ornstein continued: ‘Amorim has also been under consideration at Liverpool, although it looks unlikely he will prove the preferred candidate in their process to replace outgoing boss Jurgen Klopp.’