Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim was for some time considered the runaway favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
After the trail for Xabi Alonso went cold, Amorim moved into pole position for the Anfield role but owing to a variety of factors he ended up pledging his future to Sporting for another season at least.
Amorim, 39, is under contract until 2026 in Lisbon and has a buyout clause in his contract. And while it’s currently unknown how far talks between Sporting and Liverpool progressed, the fact of the matter is the Reds moved on and look set to appoint Arne Slot instead.
Feyenoord have paid an emotional goodbye to their coach after three seasons at the helm and he is set to take up a role with Liverpool imminently.
And now German journalist Christian Falk has detailed what he believes to be the key reason why Liverpool moved on from Amorim.
The Portuguese tactician boarded a flight from Lisbon to London in order to hold talks with West Ham, after which Liverpool moved quickly to appoint Slot.
Liverpool didn’t want to play that game
And while that move won’t have gone down well at Anfield, Falk states that Sporting attempted to jack up the price needed to free Amorim from his contract at the last minute, leading to Liverpool’s decision to walk away.
“I found out why the transfer of Ruben Amorim (Sporting Lisbon) to Liverpool FC fell through in the end,” Falk wrote on CaughtOffside. “Everything had already been negotiated and the contracts were ready to be signed.
“Sporting Lisbon would have received a transfer fee of €10m, as had been agreed. However, the president of Sporting Lisbon, Francisco Varandas, is said to have changed his mind at the last minute. Suddenly, the president demanded €20m and spontaneously doubled the price.
“Liverpool did not want to play the game. That was bitter for Amorim, who would have loved to become Jürgen Klopp’s successor.”