Jamie Carragher has backed Rúben Amorim to become Liverpool’s next manager over Roberto De Zerbi. The former defender also suggested Thomas Tuchel could be a viable option to replace Jürgen Klopp.
Amorim is the favorite to take over at Anfield after Xabi Alonso pulled himself out of the running last month. The Sporting CP boss has not ruled out leaving the Lisbon club in the summer, although he has denied that he has reached any sort of agreement with Liverpool.
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has also been linked, although Julian Nagelsmann now looks to be out of the picture. The 36-year-old has signed a new contract with the German national team, taking him up to 2026.
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Analyzing the names in the frame for Liverpool, Carragher gave his verdict on Amorim, De Zerbi and others — including himself. There is one standout name for the Reds legend.
“It looks like he’s [Amorim] the favorite right now,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “I’ve got no insider information, just reading reports that’s what it seems.
“I think if Liverpool could bring in a manager who’s a title winner in his last season in his previous job, I think that would be a very good acquisition for Liverpool if it was to be Mr Amorim.”
Moving on to De Zerbi, Carragher said: “He’s done a brilliant job at Brighton, he’s moved them up levels since Graham Potter was there.
“He’s had a lot of clubs. I think the fact that he wouldn’t be coming with a huge CV in terms of trophies may be something to look at. I know it’s difficult to win trophies at Brighton, I get that.
“Certainly his football would pass the eye test, the fact he’s got Premier League experience as well would go in his favor. But I think I’d be more Amorim than De Zerbi.”
Carragher went on to rule out Nagelsmann and Aston Villa boss Unai Emery before moving on to Tuchel. The former Chelsea boss will be available in the summer, with Bayern Munich set to change managers.
“I actually used to think Thomas Tuchel should be well high up in the running for the Liverpool job after Klopp. I always felt this when he was at Chelsea, and when he left Chelsea,” Carragher explained.
“The reason being is because for any manager, following Klopp is going to be tough. Not just for the football and the trophies, but the personality and who he is.
“Thomas Tuchel has done that twice before. He’s done it at Mainz and he’s done it at Borussia Dortmund, and he did great jobs at both clubs. Klopp’s personality would have been difficult to replace at those clubs as well as it’s going to be for Liverpool.
“He’s had experience of that, which I thought would be a big factor for any manager coming in at Liverpool, and the fact he’s a Champions League winning manager. He’s won it with Chelsea, he got to the final with PSG, and I just think the fact that maybe it hasn’t gone as well as he’d have liked at Bayern Munich, he knows he’s going to lose his job at the end of the season, I think means the timing’s probably not right for him.
“You always want to come in off the back of being successful or being the new kid on the block. I just think the timing’s wrong for Thomas Tuchel.”
Having laughed off the suggestion that he could be in the running, Carragher gave his final verdict: “I actually do think the next manager will be Rúben Amorim. I’m not sure it can be anyone else at this moment, just from reading press reports and Liverpool getting linked to him, it doesn’t seem like anybody else is in the equation right now.
“He’s a young man, but he’s done a fantastic job from the two or three jobs he’s had. Fingers crossed for him and Sporting Lisbon, if he is to leave and join Liverpool, he comes as a title winner.”
Liverpool.com says: With Nagelsmann now out of the running, Amorim has to be the man to go for. The other names in the running just don’t seem as inspiring.
Tuchel would be an interesting choice, given he has followed Klopp twice before at clubs. Things haven’t been going too well at Bayern though, and he does seem to be a more divisive figure than Klopp. Carragher’s right in that the timing is not right now for him.
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