Iraola Close to Officialdom at Liverpool

The most exciting news in English football came on Tuesday morning. Fabrizio Romano, in his message shared on X account, announced that Liverpool reached an agreement in principle with Andoni Iraola: "🚨💣 BREAKING: Liverpool reach agreement in principle to appoint Andoni Iraola as new manager, here we go!" Following Romano, British journalist Ben Jacobs also confirmed that the talks are in the final stage. Iraola is the coach who took Bournemouth to European cups for the first time in club history last season and elevated them to 5th place. He will now be Anfield's new captain.

Liverpool, which officially announced the parting with Arne Slot on May 30, made its decision very quickly. The Dutch coach had won the Premier League title in the 2024-25 season; however, the 2025-26 season was described as a disaster: the team could only enter the Champions League from 5th place in the final match. This failure, which could not be achieved despite the £450 million transfer expenditure, pushed FSG management to a quick decision. Xabi Alonso had agreed with Chelsea earlier this month, which closed a door for Liverpool. The result: Iraola's selection.

The 43-year-old Spanish coach was one of Athletic Bilbao's unforgettable right-backs during his playing days. His transition to coaching also started with the same class: he took the work he did at Mirandés to Rayo Vallecano, and led the Madrid team on the European Conference League journey. His transfer to Bournemouth in 2023 was the beginning of his England adventure. In three seasons, he took the club from the lower ranks of the Premier League to the upper ranks. With his success in taking Bournemouth to Europe for the first time in the club's history in the 2025-26 season, he was shown as the "Premier League Coach of the Year".

Iraola's game philosophy is close to Klopp's school for Liverpool: high press, fast transitions, aggressive attack. This will mean a break from Slot's more controlled, possession-oriented style. Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes has had a very close relationship with Iraola since the Bournemouth days; Hughes was the one who brought him to the Cherries. This was decisive in accelerating the negotiations. AC Milan's offer in recent weeks was rejected by Iraola — the reason for this was interpreted as Liverpool being on stage.

Iraola's Liverpool contract is expected to be 3+1 years. The Spanish coach's official announcement is expected to come within the next 24-48 hours.

Source: Fabrizio Romano (X), Ben Jacobs (TalkSPORT/X)

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