Liverpool are still negotiating with Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim after his meeting with West Ham United was, which "not positive", according to Portuguese journalist Pedro Sepulveda.

The Reds are hunting for a successor to current boss Jurgen Klopp, who has revealed that he will leave Anfield at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Liverpool have been searching for a new manager publicly since the end of January, but are yet to make significant progress on any candidates. Amorim has established himself as one of the continent's most talented young head coaches and could be set for a significant European move this summer.

Liverpool offered new hope in Amorim pursuit

The head coach is returning to Lisbon after West Ham talks

On Monday, The Athletic's David Ornstein revealed that West Ham were in talks over an 'ambitious' move for Sporting CP head coach Ruben Amorim. The 39-year-old has been on the radar of Europe's top clubs in recent years after an impressive tenure with the Lisbon-based giants, having won the club's first league title in 19 years during the 2020/21 season. He is now on the verge of securing his second league triumph in Portugal.

The journalist also revealed that a move to Liverpool looked 'unlikely' after Amorim had been considered the favourite for the soon-to-be vacant post, with Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso and Germany's Julian Nagelsmann out of the running. Journalist Pedro Sepulveda claims that Amorim was in the United Kingdom for talks with Liverpool and West Ham on Monday.

However, the Portuguese football expert revealed that Amorim had returned to Lisbon after meeting West Ham representatives for the first time. The journalist claims that talks had not gone well and that the Sporting boss is still negotiating with Liverpool. On X, Sepulveda said:

"Something went wrong. The plane that took Rúben Amorim to London this afternoon is already returning to Lisbon. The coach who is still negotiating with @LFC and met @WestHam for the first time today is back in Lisbon. The meeting was not positive."

Arne Slot is 'new name' in Liverpool's manager search

The Reds' move for Amorim hangs in the balance

Journalist Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT that Feyenoord boss Arne Slot is a surprise name in the running to become Liverpool's next manager. The 45-year-old is enjoying a successful tenure with the Dutch giants, leading them to an Eredivisie title and a KNVB Cup over the past two seasons. A move to the Premier League had looked inevitable for Slot, but a club the size of Liverpool had not been anticipated.

Jones has also admitted that Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi and Bologna's Thiago Motta have failed to nail their colours to the mast, hinting that the duo could still be in contention to take up the hot seat at Liverpool. The former has experience managing against the Reds, having lost just one fixture out of four against Klopp's side. Meanwhile, Motta could be set to lead Bologna to an unlikely Champions League qualification, va a top-four finish in Serie A.