Liverpool confirm appointment of Andoni Iraola as new head coach

Andoni Iraola has been appointed the new head coach of Liverpool on a two-year contract. The 43-year-old’s arrival was confirmed just six days after the sacking of Arne Slot.

Liverpool moved quickly to replace Slot with the former Bournemouth head coach after identifying him as the ideal candidate for their preferred playing style and with Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace all vying for the Basque’s services. Other coaches were considered, including Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Pierre Sage of Lens, but Iraola was always Liverpool’s favoured option and the only one spoken to about the vacancy.

Speaking to the club’s media channel, Iraola said: “At the beginning when you arrive at any club, I think you need to kind of prove a little bit yourself. You need to earn the right also to belong. I want to do this as quickly as possible so I can also celebrate with them and I can be part properly of those celebrations.

“For me, football is about emotions. About passion. I’m quite cool-headed probably, during my life quite rational, I would say. But it’s true that when the game starts, when you have to celebrate a goal, something is inside, no?

“I think this inner energy, you need it as a player, you need it as a supporter, you need it as a coach. No better place than Anfield.”

Asked about his ambitions while on Merseyside, he said: “I think Liverpool gives me the chance to coach top players, and top players give you the chance to fight for titles. To win titles.

“Obviously when you arrive at a place, you cannot promise everything. You cannot promise. But it’s true that I understand where I’m coming and what is expected. I’m ready for the challenge.”

Liverpool’s approach for Iraola was led by their sporting director, Richard Hughes, who also appointed him at Bournemouth in 2023 after sacking Gary O’Neil. Hughes and Michael Edwards, chief executive of football for Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, had conducted the review into the team’s poor title defence under Slot and concluded a change was necessary to implement a more aggressive, attacking style.

Formal talks with Iraola and his agent, Iñaki Ibáñez, opened earlier this week and advanced smoothly. Negotiations were helped by Iraola making it clear from the outset that Liverpool were the only club he wanted to join following the expiry of his contract with Bournemouth. Hughes enjoys a close working relationship with Ibanez, who also represents Xabi Alonso. Liverpool did not make an approach for their former midfielder, who was appointed Chelsea manager on 17 May.

Iraola arrived on Merseyside on Thursday and has signed a contract that ties him to Liverpool until the end of the 2027/28 season. While short by Liverpool’s previous standards, the length of the deal is in keeping with how Iraola liked to manage his career at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano. Iraola intends to bring his assistants at Bournemouth, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, analyst Tom Webber and fitness coach Pablo de la Torre with him to Anfield. Elphick and Cooper remain under contract with the south coast club and Liverpool have not finalised any additions to their new backroom team as yet.

Liverpool consider Iraola one of the best coaches available and perfectly suited to evolving the team’s style after the disappointing end to Slot’s Anfield career. They were also attracted by his proven performance in the Premier League, where he improved Bournemouth year-on-year without having the resources of the majority of his competitors and made them an exciting, high-pressing team. His track-record of improving players individually and collectively also appealed, as did his personality and leadership skills.