Liverpool open – Liverpool will begin formal talks with Andoni Iraola this week as they move quickly to replace Arne Slot after sacking him following a poor season that included 20 defeats across all competitions.
Liverpool’s next move is already pencilled in: this week, the club is set to open formal talks with Andoni Iraola as they look to turn the page after sacking Arne Slot.
The decision to relieve Slot of his duties came on Saturday—just a day after Liverpool told him he was being relieved of his responsibilities following what the club considered a disappointing campaign. The numbers tell the story of the season Liverpool have just endured: they lost 20 matches in all competitions.
Iraola is Liverpool’s top target to take over. The 43-year-old is expected to be approached formally in the coming days as Liverpool push for a swift appointment. He is not a surprise name—he has been linked through his recent work—but his availability is now clear after he announced in April that he would leave Bournemouth at the end of the season. In that same announcement, Iraola turned down offers to extend his contract.
Bournemouth’s season under Iraola ended with a European payoff. He led the club to the Europa League, secured through a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League. Bournemouth also finished just three points behind Liverpool in the league table.
Their recent head-to-head history with Liverpool adds another layer to why Iraola is being chased: when the teams met at the Vitality Stadium in January, Iraola’s Bournemouth produced a 3-2 win over the Reds.
The timeline is tight, the stakes feel immediate, and the club’s pursuit is already in motion—Liverpool are preparing to speak to the manager they believe can take them forward without delay.
Liverpool Andoni Iraola Arne Slot talks Bournemouth Europa League Premier League Vitality Stadium
20 defeats?? sheesh.
So they sacked Slot and are already talking to Iraola like… why not just keep the guy longer? Also 20 defeats is brutal, but teams fire coaches so fast now it’s wild.
I don’t get why everyone’s acting like Iraola is some genius already. Like, Liverpool still lost 20 games. Bournemouth beat them 3-2 in January, congrats, but that doesn’t mean it’ll magically fix the whole season.
Arne Slot sacked after one bad season? That’s crazy, I swear clubs don’t even let managers breathe anymore. Iraola leaving Bournemouth and turning down an extension sounds shady to me, like he wanted a better paycheck. Also Europa League payoff?? Liverpool fans are gonna be mad if it’s not Champions League levels immediately.