By Tyler Eaton
Former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has agreed to become Liverpool’s new manager, according to Fabrizio Romano. The Spanish manager has been heavily linked with the role since Arne Slot was sacked by the club on Saturday.
Credits: BBC
Sporting director Richard Hughes moved quickly to seal the deal. The pair worked together at Bournemouth, with Hughes appointing Iraola as Gary O’Neil’s successor in 2023.
The move was seen as a bold, brave one at the time; O’Neil had just led the Cherries to a 15th-place finish.
Iraola took Bournemouth to new heights, recording 12th, ninth, and sixth placed Premier League finishes (25/26 season), securing Europa League qualification for the first time in the club’s history.
The Athletic reports that in the wake of a disappointing 2025/26 season from the defending champions, senior club figures wanted to see a more front-foot, aggressive, and urgent style of football.
Iraola’s Bournemouth definitely provided that last season. They caused the Reds major issues in a 4-2 defeat on the opening day, before Amine Adli’s 95th-minute winner brought more misery to Liverpool in January.
The Athletic also reports that Iraola will be consulted on which staff he would like to bring with him to Merseyside. This aligns with speculation that Liverpool might be looking to add a former player, such as James Milner or Thiago, to its new-look coaching staff.
No approach will be made until Iraola has chosen his own coaching staff. Then, the Red will judge which gaps need to be filled.
Credits: BBC
Iraola’s first coaching job came at AEK Larnaca, where he won the Cypriot Super Cup. He then moved on to Mirandes, taking them to the Copa del Rey semifinals in 2020.
A stint at Rayo Vallecano followed between 2020 and 2023. Iraola led his side to promotion to LaLiga and kept them up. The 43-year-old also reached another Copa del Rey semi-final, becoming one of Spain’s most admired young coaches.
A move to Bournemouth followed, where he caught the eye of officials at Anfield. Now, Iraola will have to prove his coaching methods can translate into one of the world’s biggest clubs.
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