‘Cannot be more attractive than this’: Liverpool unveil new boss who stunned the Premier League
Aloisi on Volpato's Socceroos decision | 01:29Liverpool named Andoni Iraola as their new manager on Thursday after sacking Arne Slot following a calamitous Premier League title defence .
Iraola quickly emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, whose two-year reign came to a shock end when he was dismissed last Saturday. Get all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Liverpool gave no indication as to the length of the 43-year-old Spaniard’s contract but British media have reported that he has signed a two-year deal.
“Really excited, really excited, because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world,” Iraola, who called time on his impressive spell with Bournemouth at the end of this season, said on Liverpool’s official website. “But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club.
“But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the club, the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance to fight for titles. “I think it cannot be more attractive than this. It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start.
” Bournemouth's Spanish manager Andoni Iraola reacts to their victory on the pitch after an English Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford. After criticism of Liverpool’s lacklustre performances in Slot’s second season at Anfield, Iraola is expected to deliver a more urgent, aggressive style of football, which characterised the team under beloved former manager Jurgen Klopp.
Iraola earned rave reviews for Bournemouth’s sixth-place finish in the Premier League this season, which secured the club’s first qualification for Europe, in the Europa League. He arrived at the south coast club from Raya Vallecano in 2023, having previously managed Mirandes and AEK Larnaca in Cyprus. Bournemouth improved each year under Iraola, finishing 12th, ninth and sixth. The former defender was praised for his astute tactics and development of youngsters including Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott.
Prior to leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, Egypt star Mohamed Salah recently called for a return to the “heavy metal football” that led to so much success under Klopp, heaping pressure on the beleaguered Slot. Iraola has previously talked about his desire for his teams to play with an attacking, high-pressing style, in contrast to Slot’s more controlled approach.
“I can only say that I want to become one more of you, I want to earn the right to be one of you, so we can enjoy it all together,” Iraola told liverpoolfc.com. Born in Spain’s Basque Country, Iraola played more than 500 games for Athletic Bilbao before a stint in Major League Soccer with New York City, where he teamed up with Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo.
He will arrive on Merseyside with Liverpool at a crossroads after Slot’s failure to maintain the club’s position at the summit of English football. Andoni Iraola, Manager of AFC Bournemouth, applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth at the City Ground. Slot had the tough task of replacing Klopp, who left in 2024 after winning the Premier League and Champions League during a golden nine-year spell at Anfield.
The former Feyenoord boss made a strong start, leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English league title in his debut season, spearheaded by Salah’s 29 goals. But Slot was unable to halt Liverpool’s slide in the 2025/26 season as the Reds collapsed from late September, finishing a turbulent season without a trophy.
The death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota in a car crash last July had an immeasurable impact on the squad, while the club’s £450 million splurge on new signings failed to pay off. Slot’s relationship with Salah also deteriorated, while Liverpool fans turned on the manager due to his team’s lifeless displays and poor results. The club limped to a fifth-place finish, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, which at least guaranteed qualification for next season’s Champions League.
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