Liverpool appoint former Bournemouth supervisor on two-year contract as Premier League aspect discover Slot alternative
Liverpool have appointed Andoni Iraola as Arne Slot’s successor on a reported two-year contract.
Iraola left Bournemouth on the finish of the season, having guided the Cherries to sixth place and European qualification for the primary time of their historical past with a spot within the Europa League.
The Basque supervisor replaces Slot, who departed the Merseyside membership on Saturday after a disappointing defence of their Premier League title, ending fifth.
“Actually excited, actually excited,” he instructed Liverpoolfc.com. “As a result of clearly you realize about Liverpool, you realize that it’s a giant membership, an enormous membership, one of many largest on the planet.
“However feeling inside and understanding a bit of bit extra of this membership, I at all times thought it’s a particular membership.
“You don’t want lots of issues to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.
“However clearly the ambiance, the supporters, the membership, the gamers, the possibility for me to educate top-level gamers, the possibility to struggle for titles. I feel it can’t be extra engaging than this. It’s troublesome to search out it. So, actually excited to begin.”
Evaluation: Why Bournemouth have named Andoni Iraola
Maybe crucially, Liverpool Technical Director Richard Hughes labored with Iraola throughout his time at Bournemouth earlier than becoming a member of the Reds earlier than the 2024/25 season.
Hughes has seen the 43-year-old improve his status as probably the most spectacular managers within the Premier League with an outstanding second season at Bournemouth, ending the marketing campaign with an 18-match unbeaten league run that was the longest of any crew within the division in 2025/26 by three matches.
Iraola’s achievement got here regardless of dropping on-loan goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who had helped Bournemouth end with the second-best defensive file outdoors of the highest 4 in 2024/25, earlier than the beginning of the season and three of the elite defenders who had performed in entrance of him: Dean Huijsen joined Actual Madrid for £50 million, Milos Kerkez moved to Liverpool for £40m and Illia Zabarnyi left for Paris Saint-Germain for £54.5m.
Ahead Dango Ouattara, who contributed seven targets and 4 assists within the 2024/25 Premier League, then grew to become Brentford’s file signing for £42m, whereas Antoine Semenyo was the third-highest scorer within the prime flight when the winger joined Manchester Metropolis for about £65m in January.
These gross sales and the signings Iraola subsequently introduced in, together with excellent defender Adrien Truffert, who price £14.4m from Rennes, highlighted Iraola’s capacity to develop gamers and make shrewd offers.
Junior Kroupi, Rayan and Veljko Milosavljevic had been all named within the 2026 Golden Boy prime 100 shortlist final week for one of the best gamers aged beneath 21 throughout Europe.
Solely Premier League prime scorer Erling Haaland averaged extra league targets per recreation final season than Kroupi, who completed on 13 within the division, whereas Rayan is in Brazil’s World Cup squad after making his senior debut earlier this yr and Milosavljevic is a newcomer for finals individuals Serbia.
Andoni Iraola techniques: What Liverpool followers can anticipate
Liverpool had not been anticipated to sack Slot – a Premier League champion in his debut season on the helm in 2024/25 – so abruptly, however fan disquiet over the Dutchman’s perceived conservative techniques had lengthy been evident.
Bournemouth have been identified for a front-footed type that’s sure to be extra pleasing to followers at Anfield if Iraola can recreate it with a crew aiming for title rivalry who’re additionally anticipated to progress within the Champions League.
Analyst Adrian Clarke has known as Bournemouth “brilliantly coached with the clearest of identities” who use “high-tempo, high-risk techniques with equal enthusiasm in opposition to groups on the prime or backside of the desk”.
“They play direct, optimistic soccer,” Clarke noticed for the Premier League. “It persistently stems from an insatiable work ethic out of possession in each match.
“Aggressive and ferocious in the way in which they press, Bournemouth are masters at turning the ball over earlier than springing their assaults.”
Iraola most well-liked a constant 4-2-3-1, which Lola Katz-Roberts, of the Aim Distinction Podcast, has backed to go well with Liverpool’s squad alongside his dedication to attacking.
“Milos Kerkez, who thrived beneath Iraola’s stewardship, has regarded misplaced in Liverpool’s unusually ponderous set-up,” Katz-Roberts instructed BBC Sport, including that Slot’s “pedestrian soccer” is “an alien and limiting idea” for the gamers.
“Jeremie Frimpong, on the opposite flank, might discover himself the largest beneficiary of Iraola’s appointment, launched to assault at will down the proper aspect.
“Dominik Szoboszlai, who has reduce a forlorn determine main a one-man press at instances this season, will certainly be suited by the next depth.
“And maybe most significantly, for Liverpool’s second-most-expensive signing of [last] summer time – who by no means fairly regarded like he fitted in within the midfield or assault final season – Iraola’s most well-liked formation ought to present Florian Wirtz with the platform wanted to ascertain himself as one of many league’s main lights.”
Andoni Iraola stats
Seven-cap Spain right-back Iraola made greater than 500 appearances for Athletic Membership and in addition represented New York Metropolis FC of their first two Main League Soccer seasons throughout a senior enjoying profession between 2000 and 2016.
In his first managerial function, Iraola took Cypriot membership AEK Larnaca to the Europa League correct in 2018/19. He then took Spanish second-tier aspect Mirandes to the Copa del Rey semi-finals for the primary time of their historical past, repeating the trick with Rayo Vallecano, with whom he achieved promotion to La Liga within the first of his three seasons in cost in 2020/21.
Liverpool supporters might must be affected person for Iraola’s type to offer outcomes and be ready for patches of poor type if his seasons at Bournemouth are any measure.
Bournemouth gained two of his first eight matches in cost in all competitions, then went 12 video games unbeaten and endured a stretch of 1 win in eight league fixtures in 2024/25.
After dropping the season opener at Anfield final season, Bournemouth gained 5 instances on an eight-match unbeaten league run however then went 11 video games and greater than two months with out victory to face fifteenth earlier than that extraordinary sequence from January 7.
Andoni Iraola: Why Liverpool boss is ‘unimaginable’
Semenyo attributed his success at Bournemouth to Iraola “permitting me to be myself”. “We’ve made the sport plan clear and what we have to do and, in that framework, he’s allowed me to precise myself and be inventive,” the Ghana worldwide defined to Bournemouth’s web site.
“That’s why my recreation is flourishing. Operating is so essential for him too, and it’s all come collectively rather well.”
USMNT worldwide Tyler Adams credited Iraola with having a “large affect on myself and the crew” and known as his departure “unhappy”.
“I feel he’s going to go on to do unimaginable issues… it’s fairly particular to have the ability to depart a membership in a scenario like this, so we want him all one of the best,” mentioned Adams.
Iraola’s Bournemouth file (supply: Transfermarkt)
Talking after Bournemouth beat Fulham at dwelling in October, former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp known as Iraola “unimaginable” and “a tremendous supervisor”.
“He’s unimaginable,” former England worldwide Redknapp instructed Sky Sports activities. “He may handle any crew in world soccer – I genuinely imply that.
“He’s obtained a lot high quality and he improves gamers. He provides younger gamers alternatives. The system’s nice – all the things you do could be very progressive, thrilling, on the entrance foot.”
Offering punditry alongside Redknapp, ex-Premier League midfielder Steve Sidwell mentioned he would have “cherished to have performed” for Iraola.
“He simplifies the sport,” defined Sidwell. “You take a look at the way in which Bournemouth play: excessive depth, win the ball as excessive up the pitch as you’ll be able to.
“They go direct and know methods to flip groups and play to their strengths. They’ve obtained the gamers who try this, with no egos. They know their jobs and roles and it seems like everybody’s having fun with themselves.”
When is Iraola’s first match as Liverpool supervisor?
Liverpool’s subsequent match is in opposition to Premier League rivals Sunderland in Nashville on July 25 as a part of a pre-season US tour.
Their subsequent recreation at Anfield is a pleasant in opposition to Ligue 1 membership Monaco on August 9. Listed below are Liverpool’s pre-season fixtures.
The 2026/27 Premier League fixtures shall be introduced on Friday, June 19 at 10:00 BST (05:00 ET / 02:00 BT).
The 2026/27 Premier League season begins on the weekend of August 22, 2026 and ends on Might 30, 2027.
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