In the continued absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold, still unavailable due to injury, the title of the Premier League’s best right-back – at least, the Premier League’s best fit right-back – arguably belongs to a man earning his living at Tottenham Hotspur.
The Spurs ace already had seven Premier League assists to his name before Sunday evening’s clash with Nottingham Forest. A tally only bettered by one of the division’s other full-backs, Kieran Trippier of Newcastle United.
Pedro Porro finally got his name on the scoresheet for the very first time in 2023/24, however, when he lashed a crashing finish into Matz Sels’s net just after half-time, joining fellow defender Micky van de Ven on the scoresheet. That’s if you can call Porro, who almost plays as an orthodox winger in Ange Postecoglou’s system, a ‘defender’.
A £39 million signing from Sporting Lisbon in January 2023, the silky Spain international spent three years as a Manchester City player but it was under a certain Ruben Amorim in the Portuguese capital where he really made his name.
Tottenham ace hails Liverpool target Ruben Amorim
“Everyone knows what a good coach he is,” Amorim told DAZN of Amorim after that Forest triumph, having been part of the 39-year-old‘s Primeira Liga-winning Sporting squad back in 2021.
“He does things very well. He’s a great coach. I wish him the best and I only have good words about him.”
In fact, you’d struggle to find anyone with a bad thing to say about the man who, HITC understands, is emerging Liverpool’s leading candidate to replace the departing Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dugout.
Amorim, who has Sporting very well-placed for a domestic double after beating bitter rivals Benfica in dramatic circumstances yesterday, pointedly opted not to take a leaf out of Xabi Alonso’s book when discussing his future last week.
While Alonso was keen to commit his future to Bayer Leverkusen – who can win the Bundesliga title as early as next weekend – Amorim was a little more coy when discussing his own fate.
Porro, who set Sporting back just £7 million, is a typical example of Amorim’s ability to turn good players into great ones. Manuel Ugarte and Nuno Mendes (both PSG), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City) and Joao Palhinha (Fulham) also managed to scale vertigo-inducing heights under a coach who has been nicknamed the ‘anti-Mourinho’ due to his preference for a forward-thinking, free-flowing yet highly-successful approach.
Chelsea also eyeing Sporting Lisbon coach
HITC understands that Liverpool are also keen on Brighton’s Roberto de Zerbi and Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann. The agent of Bologna coach Thiago Motta has thrown the 41-year-old’s name into the mix as well.
We have been informed that Chelsea are also considering Amorim with some in the Stamford Bridge dressing room harbouring concerns over Mauricio Pochettino.
“Maybe the guy at Sporting Lisbon, Ruben Amorim,” Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher told CBS Sports in March. “He has been in that role and has been talked about as a young and upcoming coach.
“(Amorim has a) great pedigree and doing a really brilliant job, at the top of the Portuguese league.”
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