Fulham v Bournemouth - Premier League
Andoni Iraola is expected to take charge at Liverpool (Picture: Getty Images)
Paul Merson is a ‘massive fan’ of Andoni Iraola but says doubts remain over whether he can make the step up from Bournemouth to Liverpool.
Arne Slot’s dismissal as Liverpool manager was confirmed on Saturday, leaving one of the top jobs in English football vacant.
The Dutchman sensationally won the Premier League title in his first season in charge at Anfield, but a year on he has been sacked after a disappointing second campaign which saw the Reds finish fifth.
A replacement is yet to be confirmed but Iraola has been installed as a clear favourite to take charge on Merseyside.
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The 43-year-old joined Bournemouth from Rayo Vallecano in 2023 and is leaving the Cherries after three impressive seasons in charge.
The Spain international saw his team ransacked last summer as big clubs snapped up a number of their first team players, while Antoine Semenyo followed out of the door in January.
Despite that Bournemouth finished sixth in the Premier League, ending the season on an 18-match unbeaten run and qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.
Bournemouth v Manchester City - Premier League
Iraola did an impressive job at Bournemouth (Picture: Getty Images)
Merson has been thoroughly impressed by Iraola but still feels the pressure at a giant club like Liverpool will be something he has not experienced yet as a manager and will take some adjusting to.
‘I’m a big fan of him, massive fan, but he was manager of Bournemouth. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, 12,000 people, you win a game, you win, if you lose, hey ho,’ Merson told Sky Sports.
‘At Liverpool it’s win, win, win and he’ll have to get used to that, but I’m a big fan of his. To take Bournemouth on a 18-match run without losing a game is some doing. Liverpool will be hoping he can do his magic as well at Liverpool.’
Liverpool FC v Paris Saint-Germain FC - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final Second Leg
Arne Slot struggled in his second season at Anfield (Picture: Getty Images)
While he rates his probable replacement, Merson admits he was surprised to see Slot sacked, given his brilliant first season in charge.
‘To be fair I was quite shocked, especially when [Xabi] Alonso went to Chelsea, I thought Slot was staying for at least another six months if he does well,’ said the Arsenal icon. ‘Now he’s out. I found that strange.
‘I thought he should have got another year. I thought what he did last year was amazing. Not too many teams have gone back-to-back in the Premier League.
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Mohamed Salah is also leaving Liverpool this summer (Picture: Shutterstock)
‘He’s got them into the Champions league again, I thought it was a little bit harsh. But the fans are good judges up there they weren’t happy with it. You’ve got to keep the fans happy, they’re good fans.’
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp thinks Iraola will be an excellent acquisition if Liverpool do sign him up, backing him to make the step up and work successfully alongside sporting director Richard Hughes again, having done so at Bournemouth.
‘As long as he gets the right players, and you’ve got to trust in Richard Hughes and the team of sporting directors they have there to bring in the elite kind of players that he needs,’ said Redknapp.
Chelsea v Liverpool - Premier League
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes worked with Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth (Picture: Getty Images)
‘You can see that he has made so many players at Bournemouth who look like ok players and he’s turned them into fantastic players. I’ve got no problem whatsoever that he can handle it. He was a very good player and he’s become an elite manager.
‘I think it’s going to be really interesting for players. Liverpool definitely need a midfielder, a high energy right midfielder to try and get the goals Mohamed Salah has done for many years…another defender. It’s not just the manager who’s going to be really important, it’s the players that they bring into the squad. It’s very interesting times.
‘If Iraola gets the job I’ll be delighted with that. Can he handle it? Absoutely, I’ve got no doubt, he’s an elite manager.’
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