A former Liverpool coach who worked under Jurgen Klopp could be set for a major step up to the Premier League to join some rivals of the Reds in the weeks ahead

Former Liverpool coach Vitor Matos could soon take the next step up to the Premier League, as the Portuguese manager continues to be linked with a role in the division.

It has been a whirlwind career in coaching so far for the 38-year-old, as he continues to build on the early work he has put in on the training pitch. After failing to break out of youth soccer as a player, Matos set his sights on coaching, joining Porto to look after the youth setup twice in his career before moving to Liverpool in 2019.

Having worked with Jurgen Klopp during that time, he was appointed elite development coach, with the job of serving as the bridge between the academy setup and the senior team.

That was a position he held until Klopp's exit in 2024, after which he joined RB Salzburg alongside Pep Lijnders for a short time before taking his first job as a head coach with Portuguese side Maritimo.

Within months of making that switch, Championship side Swansea City came calling, landing Matos as the man to lead the club forward. After guiding the team to 11th place, he was handed a fresh contract extension until 2030, which was then backed up by spending in the transfer market.

That has all reflected positively on the Swans, as the former Liverpool coach has the side sitting top of the Championship after 11 games, with seven wins to their name.

As a result, interest has begun to build in Matos. According to TeamTalk, the 38-year-old is one of several options being eyed up by Premier League side Crystal Palace as a potential replacement for Pierre Sage.

It follows pressure on the current Palace head coach after a difficult start to the season, leaving the side 14th in the league following a 5-0 defeat to rivals Brighton over the weekend.

While a decision on Sage is yet to be made, Matos features on a shortlist of potential successors, with his work not going unnoticed by the Premier League outfit.

Palace faces a difficult European away trip to Turkey this week with Besiktas lined up, before Premier League clashes against Newcastle and Tottenham. All three English teams have underperformed this year, but there is more optimism away from Selhurst Park.

If he is targeted, it would mark a quick rise for the former Liverpool man, who has seen his career move from Portugal to the English top flight in just over a year.

Should a return to the Premier League come about in the coming weeks, then he may be around in time for a clash with his old team, when Crystal Palace hosts the Reds on November 8.

It remains to be seen what could follow, however, with plenty that could change in the weeks between now and then.