Liverpool Football Club have denied that they have contacted out-of-work manager Carlo Ancelotti over the possibility of succeeding the underfire Brendan Rodgers at the Anfield helm.
With the Northern Irishman under growing pressure after a substandard start to the campaign, supporters have began to clamour for a new boss - with Jurgen Klopp the most popular name.
With Rodgers' job security uncertain, it was rumoured that the ex-Real Madrid and AC Milan manager - who led Los Blancos to back-to-back victories over the Reds in the Champions League last term - had been sounded out as a potential replacements.
Various reports suggested that Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group had approached the veteran Italian, who is alongside club legend Bob Paisley as the only manager to win the Champions League three times as a manager, with the chance of becoming the club's next boss.
But though the highly-rated Ancelotti is said to think highly of the Merseyside club and their passionate fan base, FSG have moved quickly to categorically deny that any contact has been made - with the Americans known not to rush into such important decisions despite an underwhelming start to the year.
Club owners set to stick by Rodgers despite difficult start
Rodgers survived a scrutinous end-of-season review last season after his side were knocked out by Aston Villa in the semi-final of the FA Cup alongside heavy league defeats to Arsenal, Crystal Palace and the 6-1 defeat to Stoke City.
Several journalists close to the club, such as James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo, the Times' Tony Barrett and Chris Bascombe, who writes for the Telegraph, all took to Twitter to dismiss the links earlier on Wednesday with FSG still placing their full trust in Rodgers to turn things around.
The Reds boss is currently the favourite in the race for the next Premier League manager to be sacked, after spending in excess of £80 million in the summer to strengthen his side and suffering a stuttering start to the campaign.
Liverpool have so far taken just eight points from an available 18 with back-to-back defeats to West Ham United and Manchester United having piled the pressure on Rodgers, who needs his side to avoid what would be another chastening defeat when they take on Carlisle United in the third round of the Capital One Cup on Wednesday evening.
The Express earlier in the week suggested that Klopp is not on the radar of potential candidates should Rodgers fail to help improve the Reds' form, though Ancelotti is believed to be one of the first choices if the 42-year-old loses his job.
The 56-year-old's glittering résumé includes winning the FA Cup and Premier League as manager of Chelsea between the years of 2009 and 2011, whilst he was in charge for both of Liverpool's European final meetings with AC Milan - gaining revenge in 2007 with a 2-1 win after that infamous night in Istanbul two years previously.
He also led the Rossoneri to a single Serie A title, whilst he has had spells with Paris Saint-Germain, where he won Ligue 1, and Real Madrid - whom he helped guide to La Decima, their 10th European Cup in 2013-14, and Club World Cup and Copa del Rey triumphs.
Despite that, with Rodgers also provided with a new-look backroom staff over the summer, as the owners gave him their full backing, it is believed that FSG are taking a patient approach over the situation, as opposed to expecting immediate results from Rodgers.