Liverpool Reach Agreement to Appoint Andoni Iraola as Head Coach

Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement with Andoni Iraola to become the club’s new head coach following the departure of Arne Slot.

The 43-year-old Spaniard is expected to sign a two-year contract at Anfield after emerging as Liverpool’s preferred candidate to take charge of the first team. Reports indicate that the club is aiming to complete the appointment before preparations begin for the new season.

Iraola left Bournemouth at the end of the 2025-26 campaign after guiding the club to a sixth-place Premier League finish and qualification for European competition. His work on the south coast earned widespread praise, with Liverpool identifying him as the ideal candidate to lead the next phase of the club’s development.

The recruitment process has been led by Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, who previously worked with Iraola during his time at Bournemouth. Liverpool are understood to have prioritised a coach capable of implementing an aggressive, front-foot style of football.

Iraola is expected to bring several members of his coaching staff to Merseyside, including assistants Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, fitness coach Pablo de la Torre and analyst Tom Webber. Discussions regarding the composition of the backroom team are ongoing.

Slot’s departure came just over a year after he guided Liverpool to the Premier League title. Following a review of the club’s most recent season, Liverpool’s hierarchy opted for a change in leadership, with Iraola quickly emerging as the leading candidate to succeed the Dutchman.

An official announcement from Liverpool is expected in the coming days once the remaining formalities surrounding the appointment have been completed.

Source BBC