Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim has insisted he has not been interviewed by Liverpool, let alone reached a verbal agreement to take over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.

The 39-year-old Portuguese has emerged as a candidate to move to Anfield, especially when Xabi Alonso, who had been seen as the favourite, decided he was going to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another season.

Liverpool are doing their due diligence into a number of options and have yet to identify their preferred choice while Amorim rebuffed reports in his home country and in Germany that he has accepted a deal by saying he is yet to speak to the Merseyside club.

“This is the last time I’m going to talk about my future. There’s been no interview, let alone an agreement,” he said.

“The only thing we all want is to be champions with Sporting, and nothing will change. I’m Sporting’s coach. There’s been no interview with any club, no agreement with any club. I’m just focused, as always, on defending my club.

“As I no longer have anything to say, there will be no interviews or agreements with the Sporting coach. That subject is completely settled, whether for this club or another.”

Sporting are currently top of the Portuguese league as the 39-year-old looks to win it for the second time in four seasons. He is thought to have a release clause of around €10m.

Michael Edwards, who is Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football, and Richard Hughes, who will take over as Liverpool’s sporting director, will oversee the search for Klopp’s successor.