Former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is the leading candidate to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool after the Reds made the decision to sack the Dutchman on Saturday
Andoni Iraola after his side's 1-0 win during the Premier League match between Fulham and Bournemouth at Craven Cottage.
Andoni Iraola has been linked with the vacant Liverpool job(Image: Getty Images)
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Ex-Liverpool forward Stan Collymore has admitted he is "very excited" that Andoni Iraola is the outright favourite to replace Arne Slot and believes he is an "excellent coach".
The Reds confirmed in a statement on Saturday that Slot is to depart his role as head coach with immediate effect" following a disappointing end to the 2025/26 season. Although Liverpool secured Champions League qualification, they finished without a win in four and Slot has since paid the price with the club biting the bullet six days after the end of the Premier League season.
Iraola, 43, is the leading candidate to replace Slot after leaving Bournemouth following their 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest last Sunday. The Spaniard spent three years at the Vitality Stadium and guided them to an impressive sixth-place finish before departing the Cherries after their final game of the season.
AC Milan and Crystal Palace want Iraola to become their next manager, but reports have suggested that he is waiting for a call from Liverpool and is keen to succeed Slot at Anfield. The Reds, meanwhile, have Iraola right at the top of their shortlist and Collymore has given the move a "big thumbs up".
"Very excited if Iraola gets the Liverpool job," Collymore, who made 81 appearances for the Reds, said on X. "Excellent coach with a defined style but not stubborn enough to stick with it if it doesn’t work.
"Great communicator so will deal with media honestly and with a bonhomie that the local journos will like and he makes average players good, good players great so plenty of positivity to work with.
"Big thumbs up here. Very good coach. Played at an excellent Athletic Club with their own unique expectations too so no stranger to local and intense expectations. "Good luck Mister!"
Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola could replace Arne Slot(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
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The work Iraola did at Bournemouth was nothing short of spectacular. He joined from Rayo Vallecano in 2023 and turned the Cherries into an established Premier League outfit while playing an attractive brand of football.
His high octane, pressing style is no doubt appealable to the Liverpool supporters, who feel like the squad lacked real pace and energy towards the back end of the season - and Iraola would bring that.
Like Collymore, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is convinced that Iraola is the perfect fit. "I think potentially, yes. I think he's done a fabulous job at Bournemouth," he told TNT Sports. "I think his style would suit Liverpool.
"But let's not beat around the bush. Liverpool Football Club is an attractive job for a lot of elite managers around the world. So I don't think he'll be the only name on the table. But because of the link to Bournemouth and the guys that have come from Bournemouth to Liverpool in terms of board level, they will know him very well.
"But then there's other names out there as well that I'm sure will want that Liverpool job. It's a huge job in world football. But potentially to answer your question, I think he should be in the conversation, yes."