Iraola signs two-year Liverpool deal and explains why Anfield was irresistible

Andoni Iraola has been appointed Liverpool manager on a two-year contract, the club confirmed, with the 43-year-old Spaniard choosing Anfield over reported interest from Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen.

Iraola’s arrival comes five days after Arne Slot was sacked following a difficult second season in which Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League and lost 19 games — a sharp decline from the title-winning campaign of 2024/25. The Dutchman’s two-season tenure ends with the club now tasked with a significant rebuild.

Speaking after his appointment, Iraola made clear what drew him to the role. “Really excited, really excited,” he told the club’s official website. “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.”

He added: “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.”

Iraola had announced in April that he would leave Bournemouth at the end of the season after three years at the club, during which he guided them to a sixth-place Premier League finish and a place in the Europa League. That record attracted attention from multiple clubs, with Manchester United also credited with interest before they handed the role to Michael Carrick on a permanent basis.

Crystal Palace were seeking a successor to Oliver Glasner, while Leverkusen were considering Iraola as a replacement for Kasper Hjulmand. However, when Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes — who had originally appointed Iraola at Bournemouth — made contact, the other options were set aside.

Hughes and Fenway Sports Group chief Michael Edwards jointly took the decision to move on from Slot and pursue Iraola. The new manager inherits a squad in transition, with Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson, and Ibrahima Konaté all set to leave the club this summer. Iraola’s track record of developing younger players and implementing a high-energy, structured style of play is understood to be central to Liverpool’s thinking as they plan for the season ahead.