Andoni Iraola has been named Liverpool head coach on a two-year contract, and his arrival has already raised the possibility of a dramatic U‑turn from Mohamed Salah. The 33‑year‑old winger confirmed his departure months ago and Liverpool reaffirmed his exit in the club’s retained list, but Iraola’s attacking philosophy may persuade him to stay.
Liverpool parted ways with Arne Slot on Saturday after a season that ended with the side criticised for a defensive mindset. Slot’s replacement, Iraola, led Bournemouth to sixth in the Premier League – securing European football for the first time in the club’s history – and arrives with a reputation for courageous, front‑foot football.
“Andoni Iraola's appointment as Liverpool head coach could persuade Mohamed Salah to stay.”
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy said the appointment would restore hope. “I’m quite excited because after watching Bournemouth play, there’s no reason to think he’s not going to try and play the same way – in terms of being courageous and on the front foot and trying to press teams with high energy and play attacking football,” Murphy told BBC Sport.
Murphy added that when a fanbase becomes disillusioned with a manager, “you’re delaying the inevitable”. He said: “Bringing in Iraola was the best option because the fans go into a new campaign with hope and excitement, rather than fear.”
Salah’s relationship with Slot had soured. The winger was left out of the starting line‑up in December and said in a post‑match interview: “It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus.” In May, Salah posted on social media: “I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies. That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good.”
Iraola’s style matches that demand. He told The Independent in January 2025: “I sometimes value much more a player carrying the ball and forcing things to happen. When you play too positional – one, two touches to find a free man – you sometimes lose the initiative from the players to just take their man on and attack the spaces.” The then‑Bournemouth manager had already impressed legendary Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Murphy expressed some reservations. “He’s never managed a club of this size before,” he said, and questioned whether Iraola could sustain high‑intensity football every few days with the current squad. “The summer transfer window is huge for Liverpool.”
For Salah, who scored 29 goals in Slot’s title‑winning first season, the chance to be part of a fresh chapter under a manager who values individual flair could be the perfect reason to reverse his decision. Iraola has vowed to give Liverpool fans the football they want – and that may include keeping their most potent attacker.