of liverpool Portugal's pursuit of Francisco Trincao is being heralded as something much bigger than a manager's choice.
Liverpool is preparing for a new era. Salah's nine-year tenure at Anfield has come to an end. Arne Slott is set to step down from his post and Andoni Ierola is expected to take over.
Yet according to the Portuguese report, one transfer target is stuck exactly where he was before that uncertainty.
has been a sporting star Linked with a transfer to Anfield for weeks. Now morning mail ClaimLiverpool's upcoming managerial change has also done nothing to dampen interest in the Portuguese international.
In fact, the newspaper says that Trincao is at the top of the club's shortlist to replace Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool's plans survive managerial change
According to the Portuguese press, Liverpool's admiration for the 26-year-old runs deeper than a coach's preferences.
The feeling coming from Portugal is that Trincao has become a club target rather than a manager target. And it's easy to see why.
He was Sporting's most-used player this season, amassing over 4,600 minutes in 54 appearances. This season, he recorded 13 goals and 15 assists. Additionally, he served in many different roles.
He started on the wing, spending most of the season as a creator behind the striker and even filling in at right-back when Sporting needed him.
Portuguese reports have also spent a lot of time recently highlighting something that Liverpool may find particularly attractive: availability. Trincao almost never gets injured.
As we have already coveredIf Liverpool's concern after Salah is to find someone who can stay on the pitch week after week, then Trincao looks like a very obvious solution.
PSG is helping Trincao's chances
The other development vehicle belongs to Diomande. The RB Leipzig attacker is regularly mentioned alongside Trincao in Liverpool discussions. However, Correiro da Manha believes the path is becoming too difficult.
PSG have joined the race and Leipzig are demanding €100m (£84m) to sell the Ivory Coast international, according to reports.
The Portuguese media now present him as a more attainable option. Sporting's €60m (£50.5m) release clause is already significantly lower than Leipzig's reported demands. Correiro da Manha Go one step further.
The newspaper claims club president Frederico Varandas is ready to discuss a sale below the release clause. This possibility has come up before in Portugal, but this is by far one of the most obvious claims Sporting could negotiate.
However, there is a catch. As we covered earlier this weekThe Portuguese club does not want to discuss any deal until after the World Cup.
Trincao is expected to be a part of the Portugal team. Sporting knows that a strong tournament can increase both his value and the number of clubs pursuing him.
But Liverpool remain the most tightly linked club, and even a change of manager is unlikely to change that.
