The frightening XI Liverpool could select if Ruben Amorim takes charge in the Anfield dugout

Liverpool are set to go under major changes throughout this upcoming summer, with the vacancies of a new manager and a new technical director needing to be filled before even mentioning potential transfers.

With Jurgen Klopp announcing his departure at the end of this season, rumours as to who will replace the 56-year-old have been heavily spoken about.

One of the names most prominently linked with the Liverpool role is current Bayer Leverkusen manager and former Kop favourite Xabi Alonso, who is enjoying an outstanding season in Germany as his side are edging closer towards a first Bundesliga title.

But another name more recently linked with the role is current Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim.

The 39-year-old has been in charge of the Portuguese outfit since 2020 and guided the club to a first league title in 19 years in his first full season at the helm, also recording a record 32-match unbeaten streak in the process.

This season, Sporting currently top the Liga Portugal, one point ahead of rivals Benfica though with a game in hand and have also made it to the round of 16 of the Europa League where they drew 1-1 to Italian side Atalanta at home in the first leg.

Amorim has a release clause of €20m (£17m) in his Sporting contract which, if triggered, would be the second-highest compensation fee ever paid for a manager in the Premier League, behind only Graham Potter’s move to Chelsea from Brighton.

Should Amorim switch from the Portuguese capital to Merseyside, here is what his potential XI could look like.

GK: Alisson Becker

An easy shout for who will be between the sticks at Anfield current Reds shot-stopper and Brazilian number one Alisson Becker.

Since switching from the Italian capital to Merseyside in July 2018 for a fee of around £66.8m, Alisson has been the club’s undisputed number one with no reason to ever suggest otherwise.

The Brazilian is under contract at Liverpool until the summer of 2027 after signing a six-year extension in 2021, so there is little contention surrounding who will be Liverpool’s goalkeeper regardless of who the new manager is.

The 31-year-old is one of the best in his position in the world and with goalkeepers tending to have better longevity than other positions, whoever inherits Alisson will have little to worry about in terms of replacing him anytime soon.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Similarly to Alisson, little debate is required regarding who should be Liverpool’s starting right-back moving forward.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has made the right-back position his own in the Reds’ starting XI since breaking into the first team in the 2017-18 season, and there is little reason to replace him anytime soon.

The Liverpool youth academy graduate has a contract that runs until the summer of 2025, having already amassed over 300 appearances in all competitions for the club despite being only 25 years old.

Questions over his defensive capabilities have been raised throughout the Englishman’s career, but going forward there is no doubt he is one of the best-attacking full-backs in the world and there’s a reason why Klopp has trusted him so much.

No matter the manager in the dugout, you would imagine when fully fit, Alexander-Arnold will be in the XI no matter what.

CB: Virgil van Dijk

Another current member of the Liverpool squad and one of the best centre-backs in the world is Dutch stalwart Virgil van Dijk.

The 32-year-old joined the Reds from Southampton in January 2018 for a fee of around £75m – a world record fee for a defender at the time.

Since joining the club, he has been a key figure who has seen Liverpool lift the Champions League, Premier League, the League Cup on two occasions, the FA Cup, Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

A true modern-day centre-back, van Dijk, who inherited the Liverpool captaincy following Jordan Henderson’s departure, is under contract on Merseyside until the end of next season when he will be close to his 34th birthday.

A Liverpool and Premier League icon, whoever follows in Klopp’s footsteps will hope that they can keep the big Dutchman around for at least another year.

CB: Goncalo Inacio

A current Sporting CP player, Goncalo Inacio is very familiar with Ruben Amorim already having made his senior debut under the Portuguese head coach.

Able to play anywhere across the back line, Inacio’s ball-playing and ball-carrying abilities are a standout of his game and what has made him so highly sought after across Europe.

Under Amorim, Inacio primarily plays as the left-sided centre-back in a back three but is more than capable of playing in a back four, having already done so for the Portuguese national team despite being only 22 years old.

Despite his age, Inacio has shown all of the attributes required to develop into a world-class centre-back and looks destined to move on to greater things sooner rather than later.

Valued at around £52m, Inacio won’t come cheap, though if he is to develop into the player that he is promising to become it could well be a huge bargain for the Reds.

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LB: Antonee Robinson

With Andy Robertson now 29 and missing large portions of the season through injury, you feel the time to replace the Scottish international is on the horizon.

Kostas Tsimikas has also struggled with injury this campaign, forcing Joe Gomez to fill in at left-back on occasions.

With that being said, Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson has gone from strength to strength since joining the Cottagers from Wigan in 2020 for £2m and has reportedly recently found himself the subject of interest from Liverpool, Chelsea and AC Milan.

The 26-year-old has featured in all but one of Fulham’s league games this season and has been one of their best players as the team from West London looks set to comfortably secure a mid-table finish in the Premier League again.

A full USMNT international, Robinson won’t come cheap, being under contract at Fulham until the summer of 2028.

Fulham’s strong negotiating position means that they will force up the price and likely ensue a bidding war for those interested in the left-back, including Liverpool.

DM: Joshua Kimmich

Joshua Kimmich has been a mainstay in the Bayern Munich and German national team for almost the best part of a decade and has shown little desire ever to move on, and understandably so given Bayern’s domestic dominance since being at the club.

This season however, Bayer Leverkusen look set to claim their first-ever Bundesliga title and third-tier Saarbrucken dumped Bayern out of the DFB Pokal meaning the Champions League remains the only competition left for Bayern to potentially win.

Bayern’s downturn may see Kimmich seek pastures new for the first time in nine years, with both Liverpool and Man City holding an interest in the 82-time capped German international.

Incredibly versatile and world-class at both defensive midfield and right-back, Kimmich is under contract in Bavaria until the summer of 2025, but may cut his time in Germany short should the right offer come his way.

Kimmich would drastically improve Liverpool’s midfield, adding bite, leadership and world-class quality to an already extremely talented side.

CM: Alexis Mac Allister

Fresh off of a season helping Brighton to a Europa League finish and winning the World Cup with Argentina, Alexis Mac Allister joined Liverpool in the summer for £55m and has fit seamlessly into the Reds midfield.

The Argentinian has operated as a defensive midfielder a lot this campaign due to injuries and a lack of defensive midfielders, though he is best operating in a more advanced role where he can create goalscoring opportunities or take on shots himself.

Liverpool lost out on Aurelien Tchouameni, Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo, so instead opted for 31-year-old Wataru Endo as cover in the defensive midfield role, though Mac Allister has been preferred there on occasion this season.

At just 25 years old, Mac Allister could be a key part of the Liverpool midfield for the foreseeable future regardless of who comes in as manager.

CM: Dominik Szoboszlai

Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai also entered through the Anfield doors in the summer in what was a big midfield rebuild and has already shown glimpses of what he is capable of.

The 23-year-old has added flair, creativity and an eye for a long-range strike to the Liverpool midfield, which was sorely lacking in the prior campaign.

Liverpool’s £60m investment from German side RB Leipzig on the face of it seems like a very smart one as he has the potential to significantly improve and become a staple of the Liverpool midfield for the next decade.

The next Liverpool manager will owe Klopp a lot as they will be inheriting one of the best young attacking midfielders in the world.

LW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Georgian hitman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is having a quieter season than compared to last year, though replicating his scintillating form which produced 12 goals and 13 assists in 34 league games was always going to be a hard task.

Napoli bought Kvaratskhelia from Georgian side Dinamo Batumi for €13.3m (£11.3m) and within a year were demanding over £100m for the winger.

This season, Napoli have failed to reenact their form which saw them romp to the first Scudetto in over 30 years, currently sitting 7th in the league, 29 points off of top spot Inter in what has been the worst title defence in Serie A history.

The 23-year-old has chipped in with nine goals and five assists in 25 league games this campaign and is still regarded as one of the best wingers in the world.

Liverpool are said to be ready to launch a bid of upwards of £85.5m for the Georgian in what would be a blockbuster move for the team from Merseyside.

RW: Luis Guilherme 

Brazilian U20 star Luis Guilherme is said to be under heavy interest from Liverpool, with the English side ‘pushing hard’ for his signature.

Despite being only 18 years old, Guilherme is regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in the world, with his current club Palmeiras inserting a release clause of £50m in his current contract.

Able to play at attacking midfield or out on the left, Guilherme has drawn comparison to Kylian Mbappe due to his lightning pace which has seen him clock up to 36.4km/h in 2022.

With Mo Salah not getting any younger and a move to Saudi Arabia looming over the Egyptian, a switch to the young Brazilian could see the dawn of a new age in the Merseyside frontline.

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ST: Darwin Nunez

Darwin Nunez has become a polarising figure since joining Liverpool from Benfica in July 2022, with his goalscoring ability coming into question on numerous occasions.

The Uruguayan has scored 29 goals and registered 15 assists in 80 games in all competitions for the Reds, roughly equating to over a goal contribution every two games.

The forward undoubtedly has an abundance of ability but often flounders in front of the goal when presented with chances, seemingly scoring the more difficult chances and missing the easier ones.

Liverpool’s number nine does much more than merely take chances, offering a creative presence for his teammates and progressing the ball up the pitch.

At just 24 years old, Nunez has ample time to improve his fortunes in front of goal and you would back whoever takes charge of Liverpool to persist with him.