Liverpool set to hold formal talks with Andoni Iraola

Liverpool are set to hold formal talks with Andoni Iraola this week as they move quickly to find a successor to Arne Slot, who was sacked just a year after winning the Premier League title. The Bournemouth manager is the leading contender, with the club wanting a more aggressive, front-foot style after a disappointing season.

Liverpool’s hierarchy, led by Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, believe the team needs a sharper and more urgent approach. Iraola fits that brief because of the way Bournemouth played under him, and because Hughes already knows him well from his time at the south coast club. Liverpool have also looked at Sebastian Hoeness and Pierre Sage, but the expectation now is that Iraola will get the job.

The Spaniard has just completed Bournemouth’s best season, finishing sixth and taking them into the Europa League. He announced in April that he would leave this summer, and he has also been linked with Crystal Palace, AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen. His availability makes him a realistic target, especially with Liverpool eager to act fast.

There is a logic to the appointment, but also some risk. Supporters are split between those who see Iraola’s pressing, energetic style as closer to the club’s best modern football and those who think Liverpool should aim for a more proven trophy winner. Some fans want an appointment that feels bold and modern; others want a manager with a stronger record at the very top level.

Liverpool’s search comes after a chaotic season in which they still qualified for the Champions League but finished with only 60 points, their lowest total since 2015-16. That slump has pushed the club to reconsider their direction despite spending £415m last summer and bringing in major signings such as Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz. The next head coach will inherit a squad that is talented, expensive and still unsettled.

Iraola’s background is unusual but respected. He began coaching in Cyprus, then worked with Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano before moving to Bournemouth in 2023. His rise has been steady rather than spectacular, but Liverpool believe he could bring the intensity and urgency they now want.

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