Ruben Amorim would ‘accelerate’ Liverpool centre-back pursuit – he’s already wanted

Ruben Amorim is yet to reach a deal to become Liverpool manager this summer, but reports in Portugal claim his appointment would “accelerate” transfer talks.

Amorim is the front-runner to take over at Anfield following Jurgen Klopp‘s exit, though it has been maintained that no final decision has been made yet.

Despite this, reports in Portugal have pushed a number of his Sporting CP players as potential summer signings, with two of those already known to be of interest.

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Even prior to the news of Klopp’s resignation, Liverpool were credited as suitors for centre-backs Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande.

And with Amorim now the favourite to be next manager, Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias has claimed his appointment could “accelerate” their pursuit.

This comes as the 39-year-old favours a three-man defence, and with Joel Matip due to depart at the end of the season, at least one more centre-back is expected to be signed.

Inacio, who plays on the left-hand side of Amorim’s back three, is suggested as the more likely target, though Diomande is an attractive option on the right.

Amorim to target Sporting CP players?

This Is Anfield‘s David Lynch first reported interest in Diomande, 20, in January, while links with 22-year-old Inacio go back to early 2023.

The latter is available for £51.8 million due to a release clause in his contract, and could feasibly slot into a first-choice defence along with Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Amorim, if appointed, would stick with a back three at Liverpool – though it seems likely.

Inacio and Diomande are not the only Sporting players to have been linked with moves to Merseyside amid speculation over their manager.

Striker Viktor Gyokeres and defensive midfielder Morten Hjulmand have also been suggested as possible candidates to follow Amorim from Lisbon to Anfield.

Gyokeres wants to play for Amorim

Gyokeres – the 25-year-old Swedish centre-forward who has scored 36 and assisted 16 in 44 Games after his move from Coventry last summer – may look to leave Sporting if Amorim’s departs, according to his agent.

“I’m not surprised that Ruben is being linked to Liverpool. It’s normal, his work is of a high level and is what clubs are looking for,” Hasan Cetinkaya told Record.

“It will be more difficult for Viktor to stay if Ruben Amorim leaves Sporting, because Viktor came precisely because of Ruben.

“They day we met, I said to Ruben, ‘here is my boy, he came to Sporting because of you’.”