Liverpool appoints Andoni Iraola as head coach

Liverpool dismissed Dutch manager Arne Slot after a disappointing second season in which the club finished fifth and failed to defend its Premier League title. The club quickly identified former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as the leading candidate to replace Slot.

Multiple reports confirm that Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement with Iraola, with a contract expected to run for two to three years. The Spaniard is set to bring key members of his Bournemouth staff – Tommy Elphick, Shaun Cooper and fitness coach Pablo de la Torre – to Anfield. The appointment is aimed at restoring a high‑intensity, pressing style of football that Liverpool fans and senior figures, including former captain Mohamed Salah, have said the team has lost under Slot.

Support for Iraola has grown among supporters, with fan polls favouring him over other candidates such as Julian Nagelsmann. Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes, who worked with Iraola at Bournemouth, is overseeing the recruitment process. The new coach will also inherit a squad that includes high‑profile signings such as Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike, which he must adapt to his tactical approach while addressing recent departures and the need for further summer transfers.