Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim reportedly wishes to wait until the summer before deciding on his next career move amid links with the Liverpool job.
The 39-year-old is one of several high-profile coaches tipped to fill the void which will soon be left by Jurgen Klopp, who is now in the final few months of his glittering reign.
Two-and-a-half weeks ago, Klopp stunned the footballing world by announcing that he would step down from his Anfield post at the end of the season following almost nine years in the Merseyside dugout.
Despite penning a contract extension with the Reds until 2026 a couple of years ago, Klopp explained that he was running too low on energy to continue, and he plans to take a lengthy sabbatical before a possible return to management.
While the German did not publicly address fans until late January, Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group have apparently been aware of his intention to step down since November and have been running the rule over potential successors since then.
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Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso - a Champions League winner with Liverpool during his playing heyday - is the firm favourite for the job, but the Reds are not placing all of their eggs in one basket.
It has been claimed that Amorim is another name on the Reds' shortlist, but according to Record - via TEAMtalk - no discussions have been held over bringing the Portuguese to Anfield.
The report claims that Amorim has informed his agent that he wishes to wait until the end of the season before making a final decision on his future, as Sporting are still fighting for success on three fronts in the second half of the campaign.
Amorim's team sit second in the Primeira Liga standings with 49 points from 19 matches - only two behind league leaders Benfica with a game in hand - and they will meet Uniao de Leiria in the quarter-finals of the Taca de Portugal on Wednesday evening.
In addition, Sporting are gunning for continental glory in the Europa League, and the first leg of their knockout round playoff tie with Swiss outfit Young Boys is scheduled to take place on February 15.
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Amorim's contract with the Portuguese powerhouses - whom he joined from Braga in March 2020 - runs until the end of the 2025-26 campaign, but his deal is understood to include a €20m (£17.1m) release clause.
The former Portugal international led Sporting to the 2020-21 Primeira Liga title, while he also boasts two Taca da Liga and one Portuguese Super Cup triumph from his time in charge of the Green and Whites.
From 190 games in charge of Sporting, Amorim has overseen 133 victories, 27 draws and 30 defeats, including an 8-0 Primeira Liga thrashing of Casa Pia in his side's most recent fixture on January 29.
As well as Amorim and Alonso, Zinedine Zidane - still without a club - has been mentioned as a candidate for the Liverpool job, as has Julian Nagelsmann, whose contract with Germany only runs until the end of Euro 2024.
Tottenham Hotspur's Ange Postecoglou, Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi and Brentford's Thomas Frank have also been tipped to replace Klopp, whose Reds side sit two points clear of Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, albeit having played a game more than the reigning champions.
Ben Knapton
