Liverpool: Romano reveals ‘significant’ next manager update as he clears up £70m Salah rumours

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano insists that Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim is still the “favoured candidate” to take over at Liverpool in the summer.

A report from Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg yesterday insisted that Liverpool had come to a ‘verbal agreement’ with Amorim over a three-year deal.

Ruben Amorim is still Liverpool’s ‘favoured candidate’

However, BBC Sport, presumably briefed by Liverpool themselves, denied that and added that suggestions ‘a preferred candidate has been identified and acted upon, would be wholly inaccurate’.

But Romano insists that Liverpool have “made contacts with people close to Amorim” and that he remains their “favoured candidate” for the job.

Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Ruben Amorim is the favoured candidate for Liverpool for sure, but we still have to wait and see because Liverpool are discussing this possibility internally, while they have also made contacts with people close to Amorim. This is significant because it’s not something they did with Roberto de Zerbi or some of the other names we’ve seen in the media in recent weeks.

“So, Amorim remains a strong candidate – they are well informed on his contract situation and there will be more discussions over him becoming the new Liverpool manager. As previously reported, there is an agreement with Sporting for Amorim to leave for around €10m if a top club comes in for him, even if his formal release clause for clubs outside Portugal is €20m. This could be a boost for Liverpool.”

READ MORE: Ruben Amorim would pass first Liverpool test just by saying ‘yes’

There have been rumours that big-name players like Mohamed Salah and Virgil  van Dijk could follow Jurgen Klopp out of Liverpool in the summer.

A report on Tuesday insisted that Al-Ittihad, who made a £150m offer in the summer for Salah, would be willing to pay at least £70m to land the Egypt international this summer.

On those rumours, Romano added: “There’s been speculation about what the manager change might mean for Liverpool players like Mohamed Salah, but I don’t expect him to decide anything before the new manager comes in. I expect him to take some time – it’s normal for players to take their time to look at what a club wants to do in terms of their project, their ideas, so for Salah and others like Virgil van Dijk it’s a normal process, they’re waiting to understand what’s next.

Romano: Interest in Salah from Saudi remains strong

“There are a lot of changes going on at Liverpool and they’ve done well to bring in some excellent people like Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, so now the manager will be crucial and then we’ll see what players like Salah decide, I don’t expect it to happen before then. I know there’s talk again about Saudi clubs coming in for the Egypt international, but despite some speculation to the contrary, I’m not aware of imminent proposals and I’m told nothing is happening now/April in general.

“Interest in Salah from Saudi remains strong but it’s not time for proposals, not even for talks from what I’m told. He’s also really happy at Liverpool and being super professional, so there was never any issue, even in the final days of the summer transfer window when they received a big offer from Saudi.”