Andoni Iraola signed his contract as the new Liverpool manager after Arne Slot was sacked by FSG last week, with the Spaniard signing a two-year contract.
Since moving to Bournemouth in 2023, Iraola has made a name for himself in the Premier League as one of the most tactically flexible but ruthless managers around.
Whereas Slot was often criticised for being too rigid in his football philosophy, Iraola has proven that he can adapt on the fly to make changes depending on the state of the game. He proved this recently with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Manchester City – the game that won Arsenal the title.
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— Anfield Sector (@AnfieldSector) June 4, 2026
Ryan Gravenberch set to be central to Iraola’s plans at Liverpool
Liverpool rate Gravenberch very highly, even despite the poor 2025-26 season, signing a new six-year deal with the club in March. At the time, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported that his new terms are worth £280,000 per week.
With Slot no longer at the club, there is a new chapter beginning for all the players, and Gravenberch looks set to be one of the greatest beneficiaries of this change.
According to The Telegraph‘s Dominic King, Gravenberch is set for a key role in the new-look team under Iraola.
He writes: “Considering Liverpool started tracking him when he was 15 and they gave him a huge new deal in March, it is safe to assume he will be one of the pillars the new head coach is expected to build around.
“He was inconsistent last season, but his exploits in the title-winning campaign show his worth.”
? | @DKingTelegraph: “It is safe to assume he [Ryan Gravenberch]
will be one of the pillars the new head coach is expected to build around.” pic.twitter.com/7cAerhmoFq
— Anfield Edition | æ (@AnfieldEdition) June 4, 2026
Gravenberch will need to improve. Although much of the squad’s regression can be atrributed to Slot’s failures, the Dutch midfielder was found guilty of laziness and a surprising lack of physicality despite his 6ft3 frame.
Iraola is a warm and welcoming person, but the demands he places on his players are intense. He will not tolerate any signs of non-commitment, and for a 24-year-old like Gravenberch, this is a fantastic opportunity to blossom into his prime years.
Players who buy into Iraola’s approach will be most successful over the next few years.