RUBEN AMORIM has reportedly already lined up his first three Liverpool signings, including world-class defenders to go alongside Virgil van Dijk.
The Sporting Lisbon boss is said to have an agreement in principle to replace outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season.
Liverpool sources have since denied these claims, although Amorim remains the heavy favourite to take over at Anfield.
His Sporting side won the treble in 2021, and famously knocked Arsenal out of the Europa League via penalties last season.
Sporting are currently top of Portugal’s Primeira Liga, four points clear of second-placed Benfica with a game in hand.
And according to Portuguese news outlet Jornal Noticias, Amorim is keen to bring some of his key players with him to Merseyside.
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The top targets are Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande, who could help bolster the Reds’ heavily injury-ridden defence.
It is also said that Amorim wants to bring Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand – who has been linked with a move to Tottenham – to Liverpool.
Inacio and Diomande have formed a sensational centre-back partnership, having lost just two games in the league this season.
Amorim is reportedly keen to have them both involved at Anfield alongside captain Van Dijk.
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Liverpool’s title rivals Arsenal have also shown serious interest in both players, alongside Chelsea.
Current centre-back Ibrahima Konate’s thigh problem has caused him to miss important games, while Joel Matip underwent surgery after rupturing his ACL against Fulham in December.
Meanwhile, full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson have been unavailable for much of the business end of the season.
But the Scotland captain did return for his first Premier League start in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Amorim’s system features three centre-backs who are all comfortable on the ball and able to move into midfield.
The Portuguese boss would certainly look to get the best out of Darwin Nunez as the team’s No9, just as he has with Sporting’s ex-Coventry star Viktor Gyokeres this season.
The Swede has scored 28 goals in all competitions since his summer move from the Championship side.
Xabi Alonso was the early favourite to be the next boss at Anfield but the former midfielder has committed himself to Bayer Leverkusen.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
