Liverpool managerial candidate Ruben Amorim says he will “leave” Sporting Lisbon at the end of the season if he doesn’t win a trophy.

Reports in the Portuguese media have linked the 39-year-old with replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield and, speaking at the weekend, Amorim was forthright about his future plans:

“If we don’t win titles, I will leave on my own. Two years in a row without winning cannot happen to a team like Sporting.”

Sporting lost to Braga in the Allianz Cup earlier this month, which means Amorim has one less chance of lifting silverware this season.

However, Sporting are still involved in three other competitions. They are currently top of the Liga Portugal table, they are through to the quarter-final of the Portuguese Cup, and they are in the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

Liverpool will have to pay a massive sum to prise Amorim away from Sporting

If the Sporting head coach doesn’t leave his current team under his own volition, it is believed that the Reds would have to pay around €20m (£17m) in compensation to secure his services.

For that reason, it seems unlikely that Amorim will be a prime candidate on Liverpool’s shortlist of replacements for Klopp.

Who are the current favourites for the Liverpool job?

Xabi Alonso remains odds-on with the bookmakers to replace Klopp, with Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, Reds assistant coach Pep Lijnders, Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, Reds legend Steven Gerrard and Brentford coach Thomas Frank among the other names in the frame.

At the moment, Sky Bet have priced Amorim at 14/1 to leave Sporting and make the move to Merseyside. Those odds may shorten in the coming weeks as details about FSG’s shortlist emerge but, for now, the Portuguese is very much a long shot for the position.