If recent reports are to be believed, Jurgen Klopp is on the verge of being named the new manager of Liverpool.
Nevertheless, Carlo Ancelotti's name has also been linked with the vacancy and as we've seen so many times in football down the years, anything can happen so the experienced Italian should perhaps not be completely ruled out of the running just yet.
But, who would be a better fit at Anfield? Here, a selection of Sports Mole reporters have had their say on the matter.
Daniel Lewis, Football League Correspondent: "While Jurgen Klopp may seem a perfect fit for Liverpool, it is hard to argue against anyone other than Carlo Ancelotti for the manager's job. The experienced boss quite simply guarantees success, as witnessed during spells in his Italian homeland, France, Spain and indeed England.
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"Ancelotti was the man to help Chelsea overcome their post-Jose Mourinho blues five years ago when winning the Premier League title, while he was also the man who guided Real Madrid to the much-coveted La Decima. Okay, he may have been sacked as Madrid boss, but that is hardly a fair assessment of his qualities.
"Most of all, though, Ancelotti can also work with the game's biggest egos and help create a winning mentality. That should not be too much of a problem at Anfield, but if the Reds are after a coach who can round his troops in the hope of focusing on one target - in this case a top-four spot - then the affable Italian is the only man for the job."
Stephen Topping, Reporter: "The availability of Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti probably hastened the departure of Brendan Rodgers, and FSG reportedly prefer the former Borussia Dortmund man. Liverpool's problems are pretty small compared to the mess that Klopp picked up in 2008 at Dortmund, who following years of economic uncertainty had just recorded their worst Bundesliga finish in 20 years.
"The ability of Klopp to turn Dortmund around, finishing sixth and fifth before winning back-to-back league titles, probably gives him the edge over Ancelotti for the Liverpool job. The Italian has a stunning CV, but is unlikely to be backed with the kind of funds he is used to by the club's owners.
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"However, expectations at Liverpool will be higher than those which Klopp faced at the start of his reign at Dortmund. It took the former Mainz coach two seasons to build his team, before going on to achieve great success at Signal Iduna Park. It's questionable whether FSG would treat Klopp with the same degree of patience, and it's almost certain that many of the club's fans would not be impressed with two more seasons outside the Champions League places. Klopp may be the right man for the job, but will he be given time to flourish in the Premier League?"
Shane Callaghan, Reporter: "With Liverpool only three points adrift of the top four, sacking Brendan Rodgers was a huge statement. They want the Premier League title, and with six points separating them from leaders Manchester City, there's still plenty of time to reverse the damage of their early-season woes - if they get the replacement right.
"Entrusting Rodgers with another hefty warchest in the summer was a gamble on behalf of Fenway Sports Group. And appointing Jurgen Klopp instead of the tried and tested Carlo Ancelotti would be another one - a bigger one. With three Champions League crowns and other titles won in Italy, England, France and Spain, Ancelotti is far and away the better candidate and it is time for Liverpool to stop rolling the dice and play it safe by punting for the Italian."
Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter: "The fact that Liverpool are targeting the calibre of Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp is already a good sign, and either of the two would give the club a much-needed boost. In my personal opinion though, Klopp is the better fit for Liverpool right now. Ancelotti has pedigree given what he's achieved at other clubs, such as AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and more recently Real Madrid, but at this stage of his career, he seems better suited to coach a ready-made team who are on the verge of big success, and that's not Liverpool.
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"It feels as though Liverpool have been in the 'rebuilding' phase for years now! Losing big players like Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard is never going to be easy, and that's why I think Klopp is better equipped than Ancelotti to handle that aspect of the job. The German coach lost a number of key players, including Robert Lewandowski, during his seven-year spell at Dortmund.
"Of course, there is plenty of risk involved if Liverpool do appoint Klopp as he has only managed in Germany, and the Premier League is a completely different animal. However, he seems like the type of manager who the Liverpool fans will take to immediately. They will lap up his passionate and eccentric behaviour, and his style of play will excite. I think that he would completely embrace the club's history and given the parallels between the working-class cities of Dortmund and Liverpool, Klopp does seem like the perfect fit."
Steven Toplis, Reporter: "If you were looking for a manager to guarantee taking Liverpool back to the top table both at home and in Europe, then Carlo Ancelotti is the man to do that. His track record speaks for itself. However, he likes to go into jobs at established Champions League clubs, which would appear to rule Liverpool out at this time.
"With that in mind, Jurgen Klopp would be a better fit. In many ways, Liverpool are in a similar position to where Borussia Dortmund were when he took charge of them in 2008 - a big club with a huge fanbase, struggling to get back among the elite. Dortmund always had the potential to be successful and Klopp delivered on that, lifting two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and coming close to winning the Champions League. Liverpool is an ideal club for him to go into and attempt to repeat those sort of triumphs again."
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Chris O'Keefe, Reporter: "I would have chosen Ancelotti over Klopp, as the Italian's 17 major trophies are hard to ignore and the Reds are crying out for proven managerial talent. He has also had success in the English game with Chelsea, which ticks another box. That said, I am confident that Klopp is Fenway Sports Group's primary target.
"His two league titles in Germany will have caught the eye and, despite presiding over a poor campaign with Die Borussien last term, Liverpool supporters will still be hoping that Klopp is the man to bring trophies back to Anfield."
Barney Corkhill, Staff Reporter: "Either Carlo Ancelotti or Jurgen Klopp would be big-name arrivals for Liverpool - something that hasn't happened often in the club's history but that the fans would be delighted with. For me, Ancelotti is the better manager. You can't argue with his track record - three European Cups is a tally he shares with only a Liverpool legend in Bob Paisley, while he has won major honours in four different countries, including England. That's not even mentioning the experience he has on the biggest stage as a player too.
"However, the question mark over Ancelotti is whether he is a good fit for a Liverpool side in transition. The Italian has more or less been expected to win the league title at every club he has been at since the turn of the century, which wouldn't be the case for Liverpool - at least not initially. It is a rebuilding job at Anfield, which is something Klopp has past experience of having helped Borussia Dortmund back to the top of German football.
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"Klopp's credentials, while not being quite as impressive as Ancelotti's, are certainly still noteworthy and he has time on his side too - eight years on the Italian to be precise. More than anything, though, Klopp appears to be a perfect fit for Liverpool. His antics and actions, as much as his success, made him a cult hero at Dortmund, and it is easy to see him enjoying a similar role on Merseyside. Whisper it, but there is a touch of Bill Shankly about the way Klopp relates with the fans.
"The major question mark around Klopp is whether he can do it in a foreign league, while his final year in charge of Dortmund saw his halo slip a little too. However, he and Liverpool seem like a match made in heaven both on and off the field. There wouldn't be any murmurs of discontent if Ancelotti did get the nod, but Klopp appears to be destined for Anfield and, in my opinion, that is the right call."
