Ruben Amorim responds to Viktor Gyokeres’ agent over transfer claims | Football

The Portuguese coach has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield after previous favourite Xabi Alonso announced he would be staying at Bayer Leverkusen.

On Thursday, however, Amorim dismissed reports claiming he had already agreed to take charge of Liverpool and rubbished suggestions of any meetings with the Merseyside club.

Still, the links are growing louder all the time and the agent of Gyokeres – who is being chased by Premier League giants Chelsea and Arsenal – has hinted that the 25-year-old may look to leave Sporting if Amorim departs this summer.

‘Yes, it will be more difficult for Viktor to stay if Ruben Amorim leaves Sporting because Viktor came precisely because of Ruben,’ Hasan Cetinkaya told A Bola earlier this week.

But Amorim has played down the comments and insists Gyokeres’ future at Sporting is not interlinked to his own.

Asked about Cetinkaya’s interview and whether Gyokeres’ future is dependent on him, Amorim replied: ‘All the players are dependent on the coach, because if they don’t train well they won’t play tomorrow!

‘And if they don’t play tomorrow [against Gil Vicente] then they won’t play against Famalicao [next week] or the next one after it. That’s it.

‘It’s a certainty of football. Not just for Viktor but the futures of all players depend on the coach.

‘Is it destabilising? No, I don’t see it that way. We want the players to focus on the game so be clear about my situation. I think the buzz will end now.’

Asked about the links with Liverpool, Amorim said earlier in his press conference: ‘I did not meet Liverpool for any interview and there’s no agreement, it’s not true.

‘I’m Sporting manager, I want to win here and I didn’t meet any club. Nothing has been agreed.’

He added: ‘Stop with this story. This is the last time I speak about my future.’

Gyokeres, meanwhile, has racked up 22 goals and laid on 10 assists in the Portuguese league and helped Sporting move four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.

The former Coventry man’s excellent form has prompted links with Chelsea, who actually enquired in January, while Arsenal are also believed to have the Swede on their radar as Mikel Arteta looks to add more firepower to his squad in the summer.

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