'He's already a great coach' - Premier League winner offers verdict on Amorim | OneFootball

Ruben Amorim is now the No.1 candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager.

The Sporting CP coach has guided his side to the top of the Liga Portugal table, requiring only three more wins from their final seven games of the season in order to guarantee a first title since 2021 and a second under Amorim overall.

The 39-year-old has become one of the most admired coaches in European circles with reports suggesting that Liverpool are now close to making a decision regarding his appointment.

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Following Sporting’s recent league victory against Famalicao in the Portuguese top flight, the ex-midfielder admitted agonising over leaving Sporting, with his own son pleading with him to stay.

Ruben Amorim's Sporting release clause

Sporting moved to safeguard their manager’s future back in 2022, tying him to a new contract until 2026, but it is known that his contract contains a release clause.

It’s estimated that interested parties will have to pay around €15 million to free Amorim from his contract.

One player who knows Amorim very well is the former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic.

The Serbian joined Benfica from Chelsea back in 2011 as part of the deal which brought David Luiz in the other direction.

Upon moving to Lisbon, he was greeted by Amorim, then a Benfica player, and one of the few players in the squad conversant in English.

The pair hit it off, becoming close during Matic’s three-year stay at the club, although one of those was spent with Amorim on loan at Braga.

Matic moved back to the Premier League with Chelsea in 2014 under another Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho, to again play for the Special One.

Since leaving England he has enjoyed spells in Serie A - at Roma under Mourinho - as well as in France with Rennes and now with current club Lyon.

And the 35-year-old was recently interviewed by Portuguese outlet O Jogo, where he endorsed his former team-mate for the Liverpool job in the strongest possible terms.

Matic backs Amorim for Liverpool

“Ruben Amorim is an excellent person, he was one of those who helped me the most when I arrived at Benfica because he speaks English very well, I hope he hasn’t forgotten how to speak it now!” he said.

“I see Ruben Amorim at a big club, I don't know if it will be Liverpool, but if it happens I'm sure he'll be a great replacement for Klopp because Ruben understands football and has the personality and character to be a great coach, he already is.

“I would like to see him in the Premier League, let's see what happens from now on.”

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