Liverpool are at a crossroads over appointing their next manager – and could turn to a surprise candidate in Thiago Motta.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has been hugely impressive this season, cutting his teeth as Bologna boss in Serie A. As the managerial merry-go-round gears up for the summer, there's expected to be plenty of movement – and Liverpool could see their first two choices to replace Jurgen Klopp poached by other sides.
Following Xabi Alonso's confirmation that he's set to remain at Bayer Leverkusen for another season, the Reds have reportedly honed in on Sporting's Ruben Amorim and Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi – but could end up with neither.
With Xavi Hernandez departing at the end of the season, Barça are now stepping up their pursuit of Amorim, who's believed to have been of interest to the Catalan outfit for a while now. They're also said to have interest in De Zerbi.
Coincidentally, Bayern Munich are believed to favour the Seagulls gaffer to replace the outgoing Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season. Manchester United and Chelsea could also be interested in either De Zerbi or Amorim, too, with neither Erik ten Hag nor Mauricio Pochettino facing certain futures in their respective dugouts.
This could leave Liverpool looking for a Plan D. Enter Motta, with Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport reporting that the Brazil-born former Italian international is yet to ‘do an Alonso’ and confirm to Bologna that he will be continuing next term.
Motta has won plaudits a-plenty in Serie A for his intelligent style of play that relies on intricate build-up, drawing comparisons to the likes of De Zerbi – and Juventus have been touted as a possible next step. His decision not to commit to his employers, however, raises questions over whether he expects an approach from a bigger side over the summer.
Recently, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Amorim leads the Liverpool candidate list with De Zerbi also appearing, though just who else would appeal to the Merseysiders remains somewhat of a mystery.
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