Liverpool’s new head coach was a man in high demand following his departure from Bournemouth.
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Liverpool successfully found their successor to Arne Slot in Andoni Iraola earlier this month as the Spaniard was announced as the club’s new head coach.
The announcement was seen as a major coup by the Reds with the manager in high demand before he chose to commit his future to Liverpool.
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It has been revealed that Iraola was among the candidates considered by Chelsea before the London club ultimately moved to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new manager.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea held discussions with Iraola prior to finalising Alonso’s arrival at Stamford Bridge last month.
The Spaniard is understood to have impressed club officials during talks, highlighting the growing reputation he had built since taking over at Bournemouth.
However, despite positive conversations between the two parties, concerns reportedly emerged over the stylistic changes that Iraola would bring to Chelsea.
The former Bournemouth boss has become known for his aggressive pressing, high-intensity approach and willingness to play on the front foot.
While those qualities are seemingly perfect for Liverpool, Chelsea’s hierarchy believed to have questioned whether such a dramatic shift would suit a squad that had previously worked under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior who both implemented a very different style of play.
Ultimately, the Blues opted against pursuing Iraola any further and instead turned to Alonso who was viewed as a more natural fit for the direction the club wanted to take.
As previously reported, Chelsea were not the only club to express interest in the Liverpool boss.
Crystal Palace were keen, and Bayer Leverkusen also held discussions with Iraola as they searched for a successor following the departure of Kasper Hjulmand.
The Bundesliga outfit explored the possibility of appointing the Spaniard but talks never advanced to a decisive stage.
Leverkusen subsequently moved in a different direction, appointing Carles Martinez Novell as their new head coach.
The interest from two major European clubs underlines the esteem in which Iraola is currently held across the continent.
For Liverpool, the knowledge that they beat the likes of Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen serves as another reminder of the calibre of manager now leading the team.
With preparations for the new season now underway with a new head coach at the helm, Iraola is fully focused on Liverpool and getting the team back into a place where they can compete for major honours once again.