Andoni Iraola is believed to be Liverpool's No. 1 choice to succeed Arne Slot as manager this summer, and one Reds player knows more about the Spanish coach than most
17:48, 01 Jun 2026
Andoni Iraola is leaving Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola is leaving Bournemouth(Image: Getty Images)
Milos Kerkez understands better than most what Andoni Iraola could offer Anfield, as the Hungary international's former boss appears to be edging closer to the Liverpool position.
Iraola is in high demand after choosing to depart Bournemouth this summer and has become the clear frontrunner to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool following the Dutchman's dismissal on Saturday. Slot exits his role after an underwhelming second campaign in charge, with Liverpool concluding the season in fifth spot, having lost 12 Premier League fixtures.
Bournemouth ended just one position and three points beneath the Reds despite the vast disparity in resources between the two clubs. Iraola's thrilling style of play has already made him a favored candidate to take over from Slot, with discussions about the role expected to occur this week.
Kerkez is more familiar with the Spanish manager than most, having played under him at Bournemouth for two seasons.
The left-back's outstanding performances under Iraola on the south coast secured him a dream transfer to Liverpool last summer. Before completing the switch, he explained how Iraola had enabled him to elevate his game to new levels.
"He helped me before the game to analyze this to get the assist," Kerkez told The Athletic after celebrating an assist during a 2-2 draw at Tottenham with his former Cherries coach.
Milos Kerkez played under Iraola at Bournemouth
Milos Kerkez played under Iraola at Bournemouth(Image: Getty Images)
"He is helping everyone to improve as a player and as a person. I'm really thankful he has trusted me."
Iraola's achievements at Bournemouth are all the more remarkable given how they have been delivered.
The Cherries showcase an exhilarating style of high-octane, attacking football, which many believe would suit Anfield well, having enjoyed years of "heavy metal football" under Slot's predecessor, Jurgen Klopp.
Mohamed Salah, ahead of his final Reds match, urged a return to that style of play which many interpreted as a criticism of Slot's more cautious tactics. A return to the previous approach "cannot be negotiable," the Egyptian went so far as to declare.
Kerkez, who experienced a difficult introduction to life at Anfield, has previously discussed Iraola's aggressive style and how it helped him adjust to Premier League soccer.
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He joined the club mere weeks after Iraola was recruited from Rayo Vallecano with the brief of advancing Bournemouth both on and off the field.
"I expected the Premier League to be what it's like physically, so it's not been difficult to adapt as I have the physical attributes for it," Kerkez commented back in April 2024.
"This season, I have grown a lot tactically and on the ball. Andoni Iraola's football is similar to what I am used to, with attacking a lot and playing on the front foot, it's similar to my previous coach in the Netherlands."