A manager linked with the Liverpool job is 'upset' at reports claiming he could replace Jurgen Klopp this summer.
Several managers have been linked with replacing Klopp, who will leave his post at the end of the season.
Former Liverpool player Xabi Alonso had been heavily linked with the Anfield gig until he committed his future to Bayer Leverkusen amid their superb campaign.
Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has now emerged as the leading candidate to take over from Klopp.
Advert
Amorim hasn't distanced himself from the Liverpool job like Alonso, but he has expressed his focus is winning titles at Sporting and is annoyed at links concerning his potential replacement at the club.
Asked about the importance of remaining focused on the task at hand amid Liverpool interest, he replied: "Completely, the only thing that annoys me is that they already had a replacement for me.
"That's what got me the most upset, even today I told [Hugo] Viana [Sporting's director of football] to calm down because it's not like that. That's the only thing I've paid attention to."
The 39-year-old was also quizzed on whether the rumours have impacted the players.
"When it's the manager, they don't think about any of that," he said.
"And the manager is clearly Sporting's manager, Sporting's manager and only Sporting's manager.
"And they know how much they want to win, and I want to win titles for Sporting."
Amorim made his name at Braga, where he won the Taca de Liga in his first season as a senior coach.
Sporting splashed out a substantial fee to appoint him in 2020 as he inspired them to league glory in his debut season.
The impressive work he has done in Portugal has not gone unnoticed as Liverpool hope to seal his managerial services ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Football
Nasir Jabbar