Liverpool sign Andoni Iraola as Slot’s replacement

Liverpool has reached an agreement in principle to appoint Andoni Iraola as the club’s new head coach following advanced negotiations over the last 48 hours.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on X, the deal is fully locked in with his signature ‘Here we go’ confirmation.

At 43, the Basque coach is set to take the biggest step of his career, stepping in to lead at Anfield for the upcoming Premier League season and filling the role left vacant by Arne Slot.

The hiring process was aggressively spearheaded by Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes, who maintains a strong working relationship with the manager’s camp and previously brought Iraola to England during his tenure at Bournemouth.

Because Iraola’s contract with the Cherries expired at the end of the season, Liverpool was able to secure his services without navigating complex club buyout clauses.

As reported by ESPN, the Anfield hierarchy prioritized finalizing the appointment before the World Cup kicks off on June 11 to give the new head coach maximum time to structure the squad and dictate summer transfer business.

The decisive managerial shift stems from a desire to completely overhaul Liverpool’s playing philosophy, moving away from Slot’s possession-oriented style toward an aggressive, high-intensity pressing game.

Iraola’s tactical blueprint mirrors the famous high-octane football traditionally valued on Merseyside, which recently saw him steer Bournemouth to a historic sixth-place Premier League finish and European qualification.

According to BBC Sport, as final administrative details are being wrapped up, Iraola is already working on assembling his backroom team and is keen to bring Bournemouth assistant Tommy Elphick along to Liverpool.