Iraola eyes Bournemouth duo Scott and Ait-Nouri as Liverpool plot summer rebuild

Andoni Iraola has been identified as Liverpool’s new head coach, officially replacing Arne Slot, and reports suggest the 43-year-old Spaniard is already shaping his transfer plans ahead of the summer window.

According to the i Paper, Liverpool are in the market for a winger, a right-back and a midfielder — a recruitment drive that was expected even before Iraola’s appointment was confirmed. The arrival of a new manager with a distinct tactical identity, however, is likely to sharpen the club’s focus on specific profiles.

Iraola is reported to be a “huge fan” of Bournemouth winger Rayan, the Brazilian he worked with on the south coast. A move, though, may not materialise until January at the earliest, with The Athletic reporting that the player’s release clause — valued at £130 million — only activates in next year’s winter window.

At right-back, Denzel Dumfries’ impending move to Real Madrid closes off one avenue, leaving Liverpool to identify alternatives in that position. In midfield, uncertainty over the futures of Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones has prompted the club to explore reinforcements in that area of the pitch.

A second Bournemouth connection could also be in play. The Sun reports that Iraola is keen on reuniting with Alex Scott, the 22-year-old England midfielder who was central to the Cherries qualifying for the Europa League for the first time. Scott is a player Manchester United have also tracked, and his path to Bournemouth runs directly through Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes, who signed him from Bristol City in 2023.

Currently on international duty with England in the United States, Scott offered Liverpool supporters a sense of what Iraola’s teams look like in practice. “He is obviously a great manager; you see what we have done as a club at Bournemouth and how we have progressed over the three seasons he was with us,” Scott said. “The way we press out of possession is very aggressive, maybe similar to the early Klopp teams Liverpool had, that fierce aggressiveness and pressing with the wingers. Liverpool fans should definitely be so excited.”

Iraola’s appointment marks a significant stylistic shift from the measured, possession-based approach Arne Slot brought to Anfield. If his transfer targets reflect his methods at Bournemouth, Liverpool can expect a high-energy, press-oriented rebuild in the months ahead.