Liverpool have moved with absolute precision to secure their next head coach.Andoni Iraola has been named Liverpool’s new head coach, replacing Arne Slot.
Just days after the stunning dismissal of Arne Slot sacked a mere 12 months after delivering a Premier League title to Anfield the Reds have confirmed Andoni Iraola as their new head coach on a two year deal.
The 43-year-old Basque tactician has put pen to paper on a two-year contract on Merseyside. The swift appointment brings a dramatic week to a close, following a process driven entirely by Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes.
It represents a reunion for the pair; Hughes was the man who originally brought Iraola to English football with Bournemouth back in 2023, before making his own move to Anfield the following year.
While Anfield chiefs naturally maintained a shortlist of alternative candidates, it is understood that Iraola was the only manager spoken to directly during the brief search.
Why Iraola fits the FSG blueprint
The hierarchy inside the AXA Training Centre firmly believe they have landed one of European football’s elite coaching minds a status validated by the heavy interest Iraola attracted from rival clubs this summer. Crucially, Liverpool officials were blown away by the Spaniard’s burning desire to take the job.
From a tactical standpoint, the club view the former Athletic Bilbao defender as the ideal figure to inject a renewed sense of aggression into the squad, implementing a front-footed, high-pressing style that aligns with the traditional Anfield identity.
Iraola arrives on the back of an extraordinary campaign on the south coast. Bournemouth concluded the 2025/26 Premier League season with a staggering 18-game unbeaten run, snatching a sixth-place finish to secure Europa League qualification. Tellingly, his Cherries side finished just three points behind Liverpool in the final standings of the 2025/26 Premier League table.
‘Liverpool is Liverpool’ – The new man speaks
Speaking to the club’s official website after sealing the move, Iraola couldn’t hide his enthusiasm for the task ahead.
“Really excited, really excited,” Iraola told Liverpoolfc.com. “Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world.
“But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club. You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.
“But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the club, the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance to fight for titles. I think it cannot be more attractive than this. It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start.”
Addressing the fanbase directly, he added: “I can only say [to the fans] that I want to become one more of you, I want to earn the right to be one of you, so we can enjoy it all together.”
What happens next?
Iraola immediately emerged as the definitive front-runner following Slot’s axe on Saturday. Thanks to Hughes’ pre-existing relationship and clear sporting vision, talks progressed rapidly over the weekend.
An agreement on a two-year package was struck smoothly, culminating in Iraola flying into Merseyside on Thursday to formalise the contract.
After completing his media obligations with the club’s in-house team which included a first official look around the Anfield turf the news was blasted out to the footballing world.
He won’t be arriving alone. Bournemouth backroom staff members Tommy Elphick, Shaun Cooper, Pablo de la Torre, and Tom Webber are all expected to join him in making the switch to the Northwest to form his new-look coaching ticket.
Iraola is scheduled to officially start his hands-on duties at the AXA Training Centre when pre-season training commences in early July. His first taste of the Anfield dugout will come on August 9, when Liverpool host French side Monaco in a high-profile pre-season friendly.
