Xavi Valero has become the latest coach to leave Liverpool, meaning the club is on the search for their third head of goalkeeping in three years.
Valero returned to the club last year after a previous stint under Rafa Benitez in 2007, heading up the Reds’ goalkeeping department after the exit of Fabian Otte.
Otte joined alongside Arne Slot in 2024, taking on the role vacated by John Achterberg, but he left last summer, along with Claudio Taffarel.
The Athletic‘s James Pearce reports Valero now joins the exodus of coaches following Slot’s sacking, having informed the club “before the end of last season that he wanted to return to his homeland.”
The report notes that his decision to step down is “unrelated” to Slot’s exit and “the parting of the ways is understood to be amicable.”
HONG KONG - Saturday, July 26, 2025: Liverpool's head of first-team goalkeeper coaching Xavi Valero (L) and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili before the Hong Kong Football Festival 2025 pre-season match against AC Milan at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on Day Six of the club's Asia Tour. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Liverpool are now “assessing the merits of a number of candidates” as they search for another new face to lead the department for the third summer in a row.
Colin Stewart, goalkeeper development and pathway lead, will temporarily fill the position when the squad reports back for pre-season next week.
He will initially oversee senior ‘keepers Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman and Armin Pecsi, with Alisson likely to report back midway through the US tour after Brazil’s World Cup exit.
LFC’s Head of Goalkeeping
John Achterberg: 2011-2024
Fabian Otte: 2024-25
Xavi Valero: 2025-26
It is a less-than-ideal situation for Iraola, who remains without a primary replacement despite Valero signalling his desire to leave earlier this year, but the hope is the wheels are in motion for a swift appointment.
Iraola did not bring a goalkeeper coach with him from Bournemouth; instead Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper joined as first-team coaches, Pablo de la Torre as assistant coach and Tom Webber as an analyst.
Gareth Stewart and Neil Moss are Bournemouth’s long-standing goalkeeping coaches but a further raid of Iraola’s former club is not expected.