Liverpool hijack dismissed for Man Utd DoF target as Bayern eye potential Klopp successor
Liverpool will not make a late move to hijack a deal for Jason Wilcox after Man Utd made an approach for Southampton’s director of football, according to reports.
Speculation emerged on Monday night that Liverpool could attempt to beat the Red Devils to the signing of Wilcox after news broke that the Saints transfer chief has resigned from his role at the St Mary’s Stadium.
Jason Wilcox resigns ahead of move to Manchester United
Explaining the situation, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: ‘Jason Wilcox has resigned from Southampton as he’s set to join Manchester United as their new technical director. Southampton have refused to accept the fee so Wilcox will resign as he wants to join the Man United project. Former Man City Head of Academy will be key part of Man United’s new era.’
And Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle has confirmed that the Reds have “zero interest” in beating Man Utd to the signing of Wilcox.
Doyle wrote on X: “Understand #LFC have zero interest in taking Jason Wilcox from Southampton. The former Blackburn Rovers winger is expected to leave his role as Southampton’s director of football, with Manchester United having made him a target. Manchester United play Liverpool on Sunday.”
Liverpool are instead on the lookout for a new manager ahead of the summer after Jurgen Klopp announced that he will be leaving at the end of the season to take a break from football.
READ MORE: Five reasons Man Utd fans should be happy with Jason Wilcox as technical director
Xabi Alonso was the early favourite to take over but the Spaniard made it clear last week that he will be staying at Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen for the forseeable future.
And that has seen them turn their attention to bookmakers’ favourite Ruben Amorim at Sporting Lisbon and Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.
But The Times has some potentially bad news for Liverpool with De Zerbi emerging ‘as a leading candidate to succeed Thomas Tuchel as Bayern Munich manager this summer’.
Julian Nagelsmann and Ralf Rangnick are also candidates for Bayern job
De Zerbi ‘has become the frontrunner for the job’ and new board member Max Eberl ‘is a particular admirer and it is understood that he has already put out feelers to discover whether the Italian would be available — and interested in a move to Germany — this summer’.
The report adds that Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann is a ‘surprising candidate’ considering he was fired by Bayern a year ago while the ‘third high-profile candidate on Bayern’s list is Ralf Rangnick’.
