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BARCELONA are in a race against time with Liverpool to sign Sporting boss Ruben Amorim – leaving the Reds with two different targets.
The Portuguese coach has impressed at Sporting and become a top contender to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but Barcelona are also keen with Xavi set to depart the Camp Nou this summer.
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Becoming a top choice at a series of European clubs the Catalan giants are in a race against time to secure the 39-year-old’s signature.
Barca were frontrunners to sign the Sporting Lisbon coach up until last week when it was revealed Xabi Alonso will remain at Bayer Leverkusen.
The football industry assumed that Amorim would head to Spain and Alonso would go to either Anfield or Bayern Munich.
But with Sporting’s staggering release clause of £11.1m nothing had yet been confirmed with the Blaugrana’s.
Liverpool always saw Amorim as their second choice and the Reds have the upper hand in talks as his agent – Raul Costa – is also a representative of Reds winger and Colombian international Luis Diaz.
SunSport understands that the Merseysiders have been in contact with Costa on several occasions this campaign in an attempt to sound out Amorim.
Amorim joined Sporting in 2020, and signed a new four-year deal back in 2022, but the club acknowledge he is a manager in demand across Europe for his work in Portugal.
Sporting ended their 19-year wait for a league title under Amorim in 2021, and have lifted successive league cups in 2021 and 2022.
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Meanwhile, it is understood that the recent appointment of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes in technical roles had brought some change to the Anfield club’s thinking.
Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi and Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi are among those on an expanded list at Anfield.
Julian Nagelsmann is also being considered by a series of clubs after it has been made know the German national team boss is open to going back to club football after Euro 2024.
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