Andoni Iraola has been appointed as Liverpool manager as they reach a swift end to their search for a replacement for the sacked Arne Slot.
The 43-year-old Spaniard, who has signed a two-year deal at Anfield, became Liverpool’s first choice after deciding he met their need for an attacking, fast and aggressive manager.
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Liverpool have been attracted by the Bournemouth manager’s ability to spend heavily and develop players, while looking for a head coach with a proven record in the Premier League and clear ownership of the ball.
Andoni Iraola officially confirmed as Liverpool’s new manager (PA Wire)
The slot was released on Saturday and Liverpool quickly landed on Iraola as their favorite candidate. They began their in-person talks on Tuesday, reaching a verbal agreement later that day. The Basque has agreed a deal until 2028, but it is in line with the contracts he signed at his previous clubs.
“I’m very happy, very happy,” Iraola told Liverpool’s official website. “Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know it’s a big club, a big club, one of the biggest in the world.
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“But I feel inside and understand more about this club, I always thought it was a special club. You don’t need a lot of things to attract Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.
“But obviously the situation, the fans, the club, the players, my chance to train top players, the chance to fight for titles. I think it doesn’t get any better than this. It’s hard to find. So, I’m very happy to start.”
Iraola was one of the most wanted managers in the summer market and Liverpool saw interest from AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace, realizing when they spoke to him that he was his first and only choice to go to Anfield.
Liverpool also considered VfB Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Lens’ Pierre Sage but quickly concluded that Iraola was the standout. He was the only manager Liverpool interviewed.
Iraola is the only candidate Liverpool have interviewed as he fits their vision (Reuters)
Iraola was signed from Bournemouth by Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes in 2023 after three seasons in charge of Rayo Vallecano.
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However, Liverpool’s interest in him predates Hughes’ arrival. They tried to sign him as a player and have followed his coaching career for over a decade.
He led Bournemouth to 12th, ninth and then sixth place finishes, earning them a place in Europe for the first time in their history and finishing one place behind his new club.
Liverpool noted that Iraola’s success in Dorset comes with the smallest budget in the division and when Bournemouth sold players for around £250m in the last two transfer windows.
Iraola enjoyed great success at Bournemouth and was a popular manager (Reuters)
Liverpool have struggled for goals this season, 23 points short of their 2024-25 title campaign, despite spending heavily on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, and have been impressed by Iraola’s track record with attacking players, in terms of helping them get better and stronger.
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Under Iraola, Antoine Semenyo went on to become one of the best players in the Premier League and earned a £64m move to Manchester City while young players like Rayan and Eli Junior Kroupi improved greatly. Although Liverpool have spent a lot of money, they do not want to rely on expensive recruitment and were attracted by Iraola’s record of developing the footballers they inherited.
While Slot’s football seemed slow and while Liverpool lost most of the league games last season, Iraola’s belief in pressing and energetic football provided a parallel to Jurgen Klopp’s style, meaning the Merseyside club felt he was both a continuation and a coach to improve the current side.
Slot was a Premier League newcomer who excelled in his first season but struggled in his second and Liverpool believed Iraola, who has been in the division for three years, represented a low-risk option in that regard. Iraola has never managed a club the size of Liverpool but they are confident that he has the personality and leadership to deal with it.
They are yet to finalize Iraola’s backroom team, although he is expected to bring in his own coaching staff from Bournemouth.
