According to reports, Niko Kovač has become an unexpected candidate for the Liverpool position. With Jürgen Klopp nearing the end of his nine-year stint, the Reds are still searching for their next manager.
Although Xabi Alonso was the early frontrunner, he has made the decision to commit to Bayer Leverkusen for a minimum of one more season. With his team undefeated in all competitions this season, Alonso led the team to the Bundesliga title last weekend and has a chance to capture the triple crown.
Although Julian Nagelsmann and Roberto De Zerbi have also been mentioned as possible options, Sporting CP manager Rúben Amorim is now the front-runner. But when it was reported last week that a “verbal agreement” was already in place with Liverpool, he reacted violently.
Earlier this week, former Bayern Munich manager Kovač was also connected to the position. Liverpool was named as a potential destination by his agency, who had been investigating options for a summer switch to a Premier League team, according to The Daily Mail.
Having left Wolfsburg earlier this season, Kovač, who has also managed Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco, is currently without a club. When questioned about the connections to Liverpool on “Sport and Talk in Hangar 7” on ServusTV, he dismissed the rumors.
“There’s nothing to it, but there’s always a lot written about it,” Kovač said, according to Sportkrone. For now, the Croat is waiting for the ideal chance to go back into management.
With Frankfurt and Bayern, the 52-year-old Kovač experienced success, capturing the league and cup double with the German champions in 2019. Despite spending two years with Monaco, his tenure as Wolfsburg’s manager did not turn out as expected. The former defender left Wolfsburg last month, when the team was barely out of the relegation zone.
