Liverpool will open formal talks with Andoni Iraola this week over becoming their new head coach.
The Reds sacked Arne Slot on Saturday, just a year after the Dutchman guided them to the Premier League title.
The club hope to have a successor in place as soon as possible, with departing Bournemouth manager Iraola the leading contender.
Liverpool have considered alternative candidates, such as Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Lens’ Pierre Sage, but the expectation is that Iraola will be appointed.
The 43-year-old delivered the Cherries’ finest season to date with a sixth-placed finish – only one spot and three points behind Liverpool in the table – to qualify for next season’s Europa League.
Spaniard Iraola announced in April he would leave the club this summer and has also been linked with Crystal Palace, AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen.
The decision to sack Slot was made by Michael Edwards, Fenway Sports Group chief executive, and Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director, who believe the club needs a more front-foot, aggressive and urgent style of football.
Iraola was appointed at Bournemouth when Hughes was technical director at the Cherries, a role he left in 2024 to join the Reds.
Cherries blossom under Iraola
Premier League record of Bournemouth managers
| Manager | Games | W | D | L | Win % | Points per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andoni Iraola | 114 | 41 | 38 | 35 | 35.97% | 1.41 |
| Eddie Howe | 190 | 56 | 46 | 91 | 29.47% | 1.11 |
| Gary O’Neil | 34 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 29.41% | 1.06 |
| Scott Parker | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25% | 0.75 |
Source: Opta
Liverpool have qualified for next season’s Champions League despite finishing the Premier League season with 60 points – their lowest tally since the 2015-16 campaign and 25 points behind champions Arsenal.
The Anfield club spent £415m last summer on six players – the highest outlay in a window by a British club – in a bid to retain their title.
They broke the British transfer record to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle for a fee of £125m having previously bought Bayer Leverkusen and Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz for a then-club record £116m.
Iraola, a former Spain right-back who spent the majority of his playing career at Athletic Bilbao, started out in management in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca.
Spells with Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano in his homeland followed before joining Bournemouth in 2023.
Bournemouth’s Premier League record under Iraola
| Season | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 12th | 48 |
| 2024-25 | 9th | 56 |
| 2025-26 | 6th | 57 |
