Andoni Iraola has been confirmed as Liverpool’s new head coach on a two-year contract, replacing Arne Slot who was sacked on Saturday – a year after guiding the club to the Premier League title. The decision to sack Slot was made by Michael Edwards, Fenway Sports Group’s chief executive of football, and Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes, who together decided the club required a more front-foot style.
Iraola, 43, arrives from Bournemouth after delivering the Cherries’ finest top-flight season, a sixth-place finish that earned Europa League qualification. The Spaniard, who announced in April he would leave Bournemouth, had been linked with Crystal Palace and AC Milan before moving to Merseyside. Liverpool qualified for the Champions League despite finishing with 60 points – their lowest since 2015-16 and 25 behind Arsenal.
“Andoni Iraola appointed Liverpool head coach after Arne Slot sacked amid strained relationships with key players.”
“Really excited, really excited,” Iraola said. “Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world. You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.” He added: “I think Liverpool gives me the chance to coach top players, and top players give you the chance to fight for titles. To win titles.”
Iraola recalled Anfield’s roar when Federico Chiesa scored a late winner against his Bournemouth side last August. “The place erupted. It was crazy, no? I want now to feel this from the other side,” he said. He is understood to be keen to add Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, his Bournemouth assistants, to his coaching staff.
Slot’s departure was hastened by his worsening relationship with key senior players. Anfield became familiar with booing under his tenure, and rebuilding the bond between squad and supporters will be a top priority for Iraola. Mohamed Salah caused uproar in December 2025 after three consecutive omissions from the starting line-up, alleging he had been thrown “under the bus”. “The third time on the bench, I think for the first time in my career,” Salah said. “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden, we don’t have any relationship.” Trent Alexander-Arnold and Darwin Nunez also endured strained relationships with Slot, according to reports.
Iraola acknowledged the need to prove himself: “At the beginning when you arrive at any club, I think you need to kind of prove a little bit yourself. You need to earn the right also to belong. I want to do this as quickly as possible so I can also celebrate with them.”