Liverpool target Ruben Amorim has reportedly been pictured boarding a plane to London for talks over becoming the next manager of West Ham.
Reports earlier today suggested the Hammers were looking to make an ambitious move to replace David Moyes with the Sporting Lisbon boss.
Amorim has been the favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, since their former player Xabi Alonso opted to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another season.
Moyes is out of contract this summer and Mail Sport understand that West Ham have held talks with representatives of Amorim and former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui.
CNN Portugal have now reported that Amorim flew out to London on a plane organised by West Ham’s owners, to meet with them over becoming the next manager at the London Stadium.
It’s said that he left Portugal, accompanied by businessman Raul Costa, after Sporting’s training session on Monday.
A picture has circulated on social media which allegedly shows Amorim heading to the plane for his flight to the English capital.
The Portuguese leaders have two days off before returning to training on Thursday, as they prepare for a massive clash with rivals Porto this Sunday.
Moyes stated in February that he has been offered a new deal and that the decision over whether he stays or leaves is in his own hands.
Should he leave the club, chief executive Tim Steidten will be tasked with finding his successor.
Steidten has drawn up a list of potential candidates with Amorim, Lopetegui, Lille head coach Paulo Fonseca and Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna all under consideration.
The 39-year-old has led Sporting to within touching distance of a second Portuguese league title in four seasons.
Amorim could be available to English clubs for £12.8million.
Portuguese reports suggested he had struck an agreement with Liverpool but those close to the club played this down and were eager to state he was just one name on a shortlist.
New Liverpool CEO Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes were said to be ready to go ‘brave over popular’ after fan-favourite Alonso ruled himself out of the running.
Lopetegui is thought to be a more viable option for West Ham. The 57-year-old has been out of work since leaving Wolves in the summer but is keen to get back into management sooner rather than later.
Talk over the future of West Ham’s managerial position comes after their 5-2 thrashing at the hands of Crystal Palace over the weekend. They were also knocked out of the Europa League quarter-finals last week despite a valiant effort against Bundesliga winners Bayer Leverkusen.
‘I am so disappointed for supporters who came in today and in truth I am embarrassed to sit here and be speaking on behalf of the team and the way they have performed but I am the manager,’ Moyes said.
‘I have got to say I have not had many teams who have played like that in my whole career.
‘Maybe we’ve lost a wee bit of the tough culture, the pride in making sure that we didn’t concede and were hard to play against and difficult opposition. We were none of them.’
Moyes refused to take questions on his future but said he had ‘no problem’ if the decision was taken out of his hands.
