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Andoni Iraola emerged as the frontrunner to replace Arne Slot following his sacking on Saturday, according to The Athletic, with Liverpool reaching a verbal agreement to appoint the Spaniard as their new head coach.
The 43-year-old is expected to sign a two-year contract, similar to the deals he agreed during his time at Bournemouth.
Iraola had been due to leave Bournemouth when his contract expires at the end of the month, with work ongoing over the composition of his backroom staff.
He wants to bring Pablo de la Torre, Tommy Elphick, Shaun Cooper and Tom Webber with him. If all goes to plan, Liverpool aim to appoint and unveil Iraola before the end of the week.
Talks have been led by sporting director Richard Hughes, who previously appointed Iraola as Gary O’Neil’s successor at Bournemouth in 2023.
During his three years at the club, Iraola guided Bournemouth to 12th, ninth and sixth-place Premier League finishes, as well as Europa League qualification for the first time in their history.
Liverpool had also been linked with Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeneß, whose work in the Bundesliga has drawn strong praise, and Lens manager Pierre Sage.
Iraola will be keen to make an immediate start ahead of the squad’s return to pre-season training in early July. The appointment marks a key moment for sporting director Richard Hughes, who has been tasked by FSG with reshaping Liverpool’s future alongside chief executive of football Michael Edwards.
Both men have 12 months remaining on their current contracts. The pair recently completed an end-of-season review after Liverpool finished 24 points and 23 goals worse off than in their 2024–25 title-winning campaign. Iraola will be expected to quickly build a side capable of competing at the top of the Premier League.
Slot was reportedly shocked by the decision, with discussions set to take place over the remaining 12 months of his contract.
Having joined the club in June 2024, Arne Slot led Liverpool to their 20th league title in his first season in charge, earning LMA Manager of the Year after also guiding the team to the Carabao Cup final and the last 16 of the Champions League.
He followed that up by securing Champions League qualification for a second consecutive season in 2025–26, while also taking the Reds to the quarter-finals of the competition.