Liverpool sack Arne Slot with £6.9m payout as Iraola emerges as top target

Liverpool have sacked head coach Arne Slot, with the club set to pay the Dutchman approximately £6.9m (€8m) in compensation, according to Dutch outlet Telegraaf. The decision was taken by chief executive Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes following a thorough end-of-season review, with Fenway Sports Group describing it as a “difficult decision”.

Slot was reportedly left shocked by the news, having made public comments in recent weeks about his transfer plans and pre-season preparations for the 2026/27 campaign. In a brief statement relayed by Fabrizio Romano, Slot said: “It’s been an amazing ride together with Liverpool, I am so grateful that we were able to win the league last season.”

The timing of the dismissal raised eyebrows given that Slot had won the Premier League title in his debut season — Liverpool’s first league championship since 2020. However, the club’s second campaign under the Dutchman proved far more turbulent. Despite spending close to £450m on new signings, Liverpool only secured a Champions League place on the final day of the season, and supporter patience had begun to erode.

Andoni Iraola has quickly emerged as the leading candidate to take over at Anfield. The 43-year-old Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of last season, is understood to be holding out for the Liverpool job, though the Reds face significant competition. AC Milan, Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen have all held talks with Iraola, and Slot himself has since been linked with the vacancy at the San Siro.

Richard Hughes’s existing relationship with Iraola could prove a decisive factor in Liverpool’s favour. Hughes served as technical director at Bournemouth during Iraola’s tenure at the Vitality Stadium and knows the coach well. Iraola is widely regarded for his commitment to attacking, high-energy football — a style that aligns with what Liverpool supporters have come to expect.

The club’s pursuit of a replacement was also complicated by the appointment of Xabi Alonso at Chelsea. The former Liverpool midfielder had been a long-standing target for FSG, and his move to Stamford Bridge — finalised earlier this month — appears to have accelerated the decision to move on from Slot and identify an alternative candidate.