The name on the lips of everybody associated with Liverpool’s search for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement was Xabi Alonso. 

The Bayer Leverkusen boss was seen as the perfect successor as a result of his ties to Merseyside and the fact that his side are currently topping the Bundesliga by ten points with just eight games to go. 

However, the Spaniard has confirmed that he will be staying at the BayArena next season, in a move that has left the majority of Reds fans reeling.

A new front runner has emerged rather quickly, Ruben Amorim, who is currently impressing at Sporting CP in Portugal. 

  • Who is Ruben Amorim?

The 39-year-old started his playing career at Belenenses, before moving to Benfica, where he won ten trophies, including three league titles. 

His coaching career started at Casa Pia in the 2018-19 season, where he was tasked with improving the culture of the club and the team on the field. 

He nearly gave up management after being suspended from management and forced to resign after it was found that he did not hold the necessary badges to manage the team. 

In September 2019, he moved to Braga to manage the reserve team but was promoted to first-team manager after just three months, winning 7-1 in his first game in charge, and leading the club to the league cup trophy three weeks later. 

In fact, his only defeats in 13 matches came at the hands of Rangers in the Europa League round of sixteen, 3-2 away from home and 1-0 in the return leg.

Sporting paid €10m in compensation to appoint the former Benfica player in March 2020, despite the fact that he had just two months experience managing in the top-flight. 

He started well, winning six, with three draws and just two losses, to Benfica and Porto to end the season in fourth place, securing a place in the Europa League qualification rounds. 

His first full season at the Estadio Jose Alvalade was a remarkable one, his side won the league cup and their first domestic title in 19 years, losing just one match in the league, a 4-3 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Benfica in the penultimate game of the season. 

The following season would bring a third successive league cup trophy for Amorim, with his team impressing in the Champions League, escaping the group stage before succumbing 5-0 on aggregate to Manchester City in the last 16, and losing out domestically to Porto by six points. 

The departure of Matheus Nunes and Joao Palhinha to Premier League clubs would be a significant blow and the Leões would struggle in the 2022-23 season, finishing fourth in the league and failing to win any silverware, despite making it to a third (Amorim’s fourth) straight league cup final. 

The addition of Viktor Gyokeres last summer has transformed Sporting’s fortunes and Amorim’s side are the favourites for the title, holding a one point lead and a game in hand on second-placed Benfica with just a few weeks of the campaign left. 

The Portuguese manager would be a risk, he has never managed outside of his home country, but we have seen it work before, with Jose Mourinho making an instant impact at Chelsea after having success at Porto, although he did have substantially more coaching experience before becoming a manager. 

Any manager that follows a legend is a gamble, the pressure is on to live up to expectations, can Amorim handle that?

His limited experience would suggest that he will not be intimidated by the task at hand. 

  • How would Amorim fit in at Liverpool?

According to Sam Fonseca, a member of All Things Alvalade, an English-speaking podcast about Sporting, Amorim is similar to Klopp in a number of ways. 

"In terms of similarities, they are both great man managers as well as tacticians," he states. 

The 39-year-old's footballing ethos and approach to the importance of training is reminiscent of the man who he could replace at Anfield. 

"Amorim has a, 'Onde Vai Um Vão Todos’ philosophy (where one goes, we all follow) and he’s changed that for not just the squad, but the management of club, to directors, to scouts to fans and it really is part of the reason why it’s been so successful," said Fonseca.

"Amorim’s main philosophy is if you train hard, you are rewarded. He will not count on you if you do not give your 100% in training. (Slimani who was a club hero, felt this, and was banished from the squad completely).

If you burn Amorim, you’ll be unlikely to be picked again, due to his training policy," he added.

That treatment brings back memories of Klopp banishing Mamadou Sakho from the tour of the United States back in the summer of 2016.

Liverpool's current manager has been accused of being too loyal to players when they are under-performing, and that is something that Fonseca sees in Amorim too.

"They both have huge loyalty to players, and in some cases (for Amorim) to his detriment, as he won’t bench players that aren’t performing, but will never go out to the press to knock a players confidence or ability."

Both managers also have a reputation for promoting youth academy graduates into their first-team squads as we have seen with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Stefan Bajectic, Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah with the Reds.

"They are both good at promoting and trusting youth players. Amorim has given debuts to academy players like Inacio, Matheus Nunes, Nuno Mendes etc. because he liked the way they trained," he said.

"However, I'd add that he's slightly more reluctant to introduce youth players than Klopp. For example, introducing players like Bradley, Quansah and Bajcetic mid-season. Amorim would sooner find an adaptation using senior players," Fonseca added.

However, Fonseca warns that he will need to be given patience as he implements his own stamp at Anfield and that any potential appointment may not bring instant success.

"Amorim will need to have time with Liverpool. To implement his own philosophies and practices and it might take a few transfer windows to get the players he needs."

  • Amorim's tactical approach

The Portuguese coach's tactical approach is well documented, he is said to be married to the 3-4-3 system that he utilises in Portugal.

However, Fonseca argues that he can adapt if he needs to, ahilst also describing how his ideal system works.

"He is open to changing on the fly, but he’s primarily a three at the back manager.

A goalkeeper has to be good with his feet. He likes wing-backs who can push forward and cross the ball, as well as two strong and physical midfielders, one primarily as a ball carrier (like Matheus Nunes was).

His strikers have to be hard workers in terms of pressing, running and coming back to defend."

In terms of players who would thrive under the Portuguese manager's system, Fonseca singles out three. 

"Trent [Alexander-Arnold] definitely, he has all the qualities that Amorim would want.

I think he could utilise Darwin [Nunez] quite well due to his physical qualities, and if he were to swap to a back three with the two midfielders, I can see Alexis Mac Allister fitting like a glove in that midfield."