Liverpool open talks with Andoni Iraola as frontrunner to replace sacked Arne Slot

Liverpool have moved to open formal talks with Andoni Iraola this week, identifying the former Bournemouth manager as their preferred candidate to succeed Arne Slot, who was sacked on Saturday after the club slipped to fifth place with only 60 points and 19 defeats across all competitions in his second season.

Iraola, 43, is available having left Bournemouth at the end of a campaign in which he steered them to sixth place — the highest finish in the club’s history. VfB Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Lens head coach Pierre Sage are also under consideration at Anfield, but unlike those two, Iraola is not currently contracted to another club, giving Liverpool a clearer path to a swift appointment.

The Spaniard is not short of suitors, however. AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen have both shown interest, while Crystal Palace are making strenuous efforts to appoint him as the replacement for the departing Oliver Glasner. Liverpool’s ability to move quickly will be central to whether they secure their primary target.

Iraola’s connection to Anfield runs deeper than his managerial record alone. Liverpool director of football Richard Hughes was instrumental in bringing him to Bournemouth in 2023 following a successful three-season stint at Rayo Vallecano, and the coach also worked closely with Liverpool left-back Milos Kerkez, whose performances at Bournemouth earned him his subsequent move to Merseyside.

In the end-of-season review that led to Slot’s dismissal, Liverpool’s hierarchy concluded they wanted a more urgent and aggressive style of football — a profile that aligns closely with Iraola’s high-intensity, high-press approach.

Slot, who won the Premier League title in his debut season at the club, was axed after a sharp decline in form this term. Several members of his backroom staff are also departing, with performance coach Ruben Peeters confirming his exit. Assistant coaches Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Sipke Hulshoff are also expected to leave.