Liverpool talks – Liverpool have moved into formal talks with former Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola as they plan for a swift but careful replacement of Arne Slot, who was dismissed on Saturday after a Premier League title-winning spell.
By Sunday afternoon, the decision had already landed. Arne Slot had been dismissed, leaving Liverpool scrambling to turn the page.
Now, the club is pressing on with its next chapter. Liverpool are continuing formal talks with former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola and are hoping for a swift conclusion. Richard Hughes. Liverpool’s sporting director and an ex-Cherries man. is leading those discussions and is understood to favour Iraola for the role.
Liverpool’s priority is efficiency, but not at the expense of getting the appointment right. The club is looking to replace Slot as quickly as possible while still taking time to ensure the choice fits the team’s football identity—especially the playing style they want to see on the pitch.
For that reason. the key question inside Anfield isn’t just where Iraola has succeeded before. but whether his approach can translate to an elite setup. Hughes’ preferred option reflects Iraola’s reputation from Bournemouth: a high-intensity. fast-transition. high-pressing brand that has been described as both energetic and entertaining.
That’s also where the emotional pressure has come from since Slot’s departure. Mohamed Salah, and many fans, became disgruntled at Slot’s more calculated style in his second season, with supporters increasingly hankering for a return to the “heavy metal” football associated with Jurgen Klopp.
Iraola, meanwhile, has been in demand following his work with Bournemouth. He led the Cherries into the Europa League and has already spoken with AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen. Crystal Palace were also hopeful of appointing him, but he is understood to want the Anfield hot seat.
If Liverpool do get their man, it would be Iraola’s fifth managerial job after AEK Larnaca, Mirandés, Rayo Vallecano, and Bournemouth.
Liverpool’s search hasn’t been limited to one name. The club has also considered Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Lens manager Pierre Sage, but the focus has clearly sharpened on Iraola as the leading candidate.
One detail has shaped the urgency around the entire process: Slot’s dismissal came with limited warning to those inside the squad. The dismissal was described as a surprise to much of the team. who thought he had ridden out the storm of recent weeks. Slot was informed his Liverpool career was over around 11am—around 90 minutes before Liverpool announced their decision at 12.30pm on Saturday.
That timetable fed into the way Liverpool moved through the decision-making process. The dismissal followed a review into a troubled Liverpool season led by Hughes and Michael Edwards, the chief executive of football at Fenway Sports Group.
Slot was assessed along with the data behind the team’s performances. Players were not consulted. and while supporter unrest was taken into account. it is not believed to have been decisive in the final conclusion that the team were unlikely to improve under Slot. Fenway Sports Group then signed off the recommendation made by Hughes and Edwards.
Liverpool also marked Slot’s departure in their own words on Saturday. They confirmed the process to appoint a new boss was underway and added of Slot: “He leaves with a Premier League title to his name and our deepest gratitude and appreciation.”
The owners’ confidence in the football operation remains central to how this story is playing out. Fenway Sports Group continues to back Hughes and Edwards. even after a disappointing return on last summer’s signings of almost £450m—featuring British record fees on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Hughes and Edwards are understood to have begun their review before the end of the season.
As the talks progress, Liverpool’s dilemma is straightforward: they want a coach who can deliver results at the top level, but they also want a style that matches what their supporters are calling for—something closer to the intensity and spectacle Klopp brought to Anfield.
Liverpool Andoni Iraola Arne Slot Richard Hughes Michael Edwards Sebastian Hoeness Pierre Sage Bournemouth AC Milan Bayer Leverkusen Crystal Palace Mohamed Salah
So wait Slot got fired and they’re hiring another coach already? That seems fast but also like they planned it.
Iraola better bring that “heavy metal” pressing Klopp vibe or fans are gonna be mad again. And didn’t Salah not like Slot’s style? Feels like this is just react-to-Salah time.
Formal talks means nothing, like they might just be politicking. Also Iraola from Bournemouth… isn’t that the same dude who only plays fast and then collapses in the playoffs? I swear I saw something about him turning down Palace already.
Liverpool acting like it’s a careful replacement but it’s still like a panic move. “Elite setup”?? Translation: can he deal with the big egos like Salah. Half the article is vibes and the other half is random club names (Milan, Leverkusen) lol. I just hope they don’t mess up and end up worse than before.