Andoni Iraola has been confirmed as the new head coach of Liverpool after the Anfield side parted ways with Arne Slot following a disappointing second season at the helm
19:29, 04 Jun 2026
Andoni Iraola excelled as Bournemouth head coach.
Andoni Iraola excelled as Bournemouth head coach.(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Liverpool has confirmed Andoni Iraola as the man to take over from Arne Slot as head coach after the Dutchman was fired last weekend.
The Reds parted ways with Slot on Saturday, in a move that caught plenty by surprise. Liverpool lost 19 games in all competitions last term, however, and it is understood that it wants to play a faster and more aggressive playing style moving forwards, which is not necessarily something that Slot was aligned with.
There were plenty of mitigations for Liverpool's underperformance, but the difficult decision was made by the Anfield side's hierarchy, with Iraola quickly identified as a strong fit.
Iraola has been at Bournemouth for three seasons and guided the Cherries to a sixth-place finish this season, ensuring they will be playing in the Europa League.
However, he said a few months ago that he would be departing when the summer came. Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace were among the teams that were also interested in his services.
He was open to joining Liverpool, though, and is reuniting with Richard Hughes, the Reds sporting director, who he worked with at Bournemouth and has a good relationship with.
Andoni Iraola during a Bournemouth training session.
Andoni Iraola during a Bournemouth training session.(Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Before taking over at Bournemouth, Iraola was in charge of the Spanish side Rayo Vallecano. Prior to that, he managed for one year in Cyprus and one year in the second tier in Spain.
Iraola has cited Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp as one of his inspirations before and his Bournemouth team was always entertaining, if not consistent.
The 43-year-old has never managed a team in a European competition before and he will need to step up to the demands of working at a much bigger club immediately.
But with many Liverpool fans ready to see Slot leave, a change in the dugout will be refreshing ahead of another summer of significant change.
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Liverpool has already begun working on transfer targets and there is a recognized need to bolster the roster, which looked short in a couple of key areas even before Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate departed.
Signing fresh legs in attack and midfield will be vital, while Iraola will also be tasked with getting more out of last summer's additions, including Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.
In pre-season, Liverpool is set to take on Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds in the US. The new Premier League campaign kicks off on the weekend of August 22 and 23 and the fixture schedule will be released on June 19.