One surprise candidate for the Liverpool job has officially ruled himself out of the running to replace Jurgen Klopp this summer.
Reds fans are still coming to terms with the news that Klopp will bid farewell when the 2023-24 campaign reaches its conclusion, at which point he would have been at the helm for almost nine years.
Since taking the reins from Brendan Rodgers in 2015, Klopp has collected a Premier League and Champions League winners' medal among others, and his troops have already marched to EFL Cup glory this season.
A springtime lull has harmed the German's dream of a silverware-laden farewell, though, as his side have been eliminated from the FA Cup and need a miracle to overturn a 3-0 Europa League quarter-final deficit against Atalanta BC.
Sunday's 1-0 Anfield defeat to Crystal Palace - their first at home in the Premier League since October 2022 - also leaves the Reds two points behind Manchester City in the table, while Arsenal are sitting ahead of the Merseyside giants on goal difference.
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Niko Kovac denies "truth" in Liverpool reports
On the same day, it was reported that Niko Kovac - who left his post as Wolfsburg manager last month - was under consideration to replace Klopp as he searches for a new career path.
The 52-year-old boasts a Bundesliga title, two DFB-Pokals and a German Super Cup from his time in charge of Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt, while he has also taken the reins of Monaco and the Croatia national team.
While manning the Monaco dugout, Kovac achieved a runners-up finish in the Coupe de France in the 2020-21 campaign, the same season his side engaged in a fascinating four-way Ligue 1 title fight with Lille, Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon.
Kovac would be an economically viable appointment for Liverpool thanks to his recent departure from Wolfsburg, but the former Croatia captain has now responded emphatically to the Anfield links.
Speaking to Sport & Talk at Hangar 7 on Servus TV - as quoted by journalist Fabrizio Romano - Kovac replied: "There's no truth to Liverpool links emerged in the recent days. It's not true."
Ruben Amorim still at head of queue for Liverpool job
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As Kovac quickly eliminated himself from the running, after Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso did the same, Liverpool are still understood to be prioritising the appointment of Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim.
It was claimed last week that the former midfielder had already reached an agreement in principle to take charge of Liverpool for the next three years, but such rumours are now thought to be wide of the mark.
Amorim himself has categorically denied shaking hands with the Premier League title-chasers, although he has curiously vowed to leave his post in Portugal if he fails to deliver a trophy to Sporting this season.
That scenario seems unlikely, though, as Sporting are seven points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga standings with just five games remaining, and they will also face either Porto or Vitoria in the Taca da Liga final.
The Reds are still prioritising the arrival of Amorim as their number one managerial target, but there are a few more hoops to jump through before the Merseyside club can lay claim to the 39-year-old.
Ben Knapton
