Outgoing Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has been namechecked as a possible option for Liverpool if they were to move on from Arne Slot this summer.
It was confirmed last month that Iraola will leave Bournemouth when his contract expires in the summer, ending a three-year spell that saw him equal their best Premier League finish last year (9th).
That could soon be bettered as the Cherries currently sit sixth with three games remaining, despite losing Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, Antoine Semenyo, Dango Ouattara and Ilya Zabarnyi.
With Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Man United, and possibly Man City and Liverpool in the market for a new manager, the 43-year-old will not be short of suitors.
And according to The i Paper, Iraola is on Chelsea‘s “radar” and “would be among the candidates considered” at Anfield if Slot is dismissed.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 19, 2023: Bournemouth's manager Andoni Iraola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Sporting director Richard Hughes, of course, spearheaded the decision to appoint Iraola at Bournemouth, with the Spaniard complimentary when he left for Liverpool in 2024.
“He has been very important in establishing me here, and I wish him all the best,” Iraola told BBC Radio Solent at the time.
It would come as no surprise, then, that Iraola would be considered if Liverpool decides to move on from Slot in favour of the 43-year-old’s proactive, high-intensity, fast, and direct play.
Iraola’s ability to instil his style of play despite consistent changes in personnel has been widely praised, in stark contrast to the criticism directed at Slot this season.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool future: Will the Dutchman stay for 2026/27?
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 3, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot during the FA Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Slot is contracted at Anfield until 2027, but despite consistent reports throughout the campaign of support from owners FSG, no new contract has been forthcoming.
And there has been a noticeable shift in tone from Merseyside journalists, with the *Times*‘ Paul Joyce recently offering the caveat of “in the event of him staying” when it came to backroom changes.
Liverpool still have three games remaining as they look to confirm Champions League football for next season, and only after the campaign ends will a review take place.
Only time will tell if the club seek to take a different direction and move on from Slot, but they ought to be aware that the likes of Iraola and Xabi Alonso will not wait forever.
Join TIA WhatsApp
Follow us on WhatsApp
Join 5,000+ Reds for instant alerts and breaking news direct to your phone