Liverpool have appointed Andoni Iraola as Arne Slott’s successor on a two-year contract.
Iraola left Bournemouth at the end of the season, having led the Cherries to sixth place and European qualification for the first time in their history with a place in the Europa League.
The Basque manager replaces Slott, who left the Merseyside club on Saturday after a disappointing defense for his side Premier League Title, fifth place.
“Really excited, really excited,” he told Liverpoolfc.com. “Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know it’s a big club, a huge club, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
“But feeling inside and understanding more about this club, I always thought it was a special club.
“You don’t need a lot of things to be attracted to Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.
“But obviously the atmosphere, the fans, the club, the players, the opportunity to coach high-level players, the opportunity to fight for titles. I think it couldn’t be more attractive than this. It’s hard to find. So, I’m really excited to get started.”
Analysis: Why did Bournemouth name Andoni Iraola?
Perhaps most importantly, Liverpool manager Richard Hughes worked with Iraola during his time at Bournemouth before joining the Reds ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Hughes saw the 43-year-old cement his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most impressive managers with an impressive second season at Bournemouth, finishing with an 18-match unbeaten run in the league which was the longest of any team in the division in 2025/26 at three matches.
Iraola’s achievement came despite losing on-loan goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who helped Bournemouth finish with the second-best defensive record outside the top four in 2024/25, before the start of the season and three of the elite defenders who played in front of him: Dean Howesen joined Real Madrid for ÂŁ50m, Milos Kerkez moved to Liverpool for ÂŁ40m and Ilija Zabarny left for Paris Saint-Germain for ÂŁ50m. 54.5 million pounds sterling.
Striker Dango Ouattara, who has contributed seven goals and four assists in the 2024/25 Premier League, became Brentford’s record signing for ÂŁ42m, while Antoine Semenyo was the league’s third-highest scorer when the winger joined Manchester City for ÂŁ65m in January.
Those sales and the subsequent signings Iraola brought in, including outstanding defender Adrien Truvert, who cost ÂŁ14.4m from Rennes, highlighted Iraola’s ability to develop players and make smart signings.
Junior Cropi, Ryan and Veljko Milosavljevic were named in Golden Boy’s Top 100 Players of 2026 last week for the best under-21 players across Europe.
Only Erling Haaland, the Premier League’s top scorer, averaged more league goals per game last season than Cropi, who finished 13th in the division, while Ryan is in Brazil’s World Cup squad after making his debut earlier this year, and Milosavljevic is a finals newcomer to Serbia.
Andoni Airola tactics: What Liverpool fans can expect
Liverpool were not expected to sack Slott – the Premier League champions in his first season at the helm in 2024/25 – so suddenly, but fans’ dissatisfaction with the Dutch coach’s conservative tactics has long been evident.
Bournemouth are known for an attacking style that is sure to be more pleasing to fans at Anfield if Iraola can recreate it with a team aiming to challenge for the title and also expected to qualify for the Champions League.
Analyst Adrian Clarke described Bournemouth as “brilliantly coached with the clearest identities” and using “high tempo and high-risk tactics with equal enthusiasm against teams at the top or bottom of the table”.
“They play direct, positive football,” Clarke noted to Premier League. “It always comes from an insatiable work ethic off the ball every game.
“The Bournemouth team is distinguished by its aggressiveness and ferocity in its pressing method, and it is also good at turning the ball around before launching its attacks.”
Iraola favored a consistent 4-2-3-1 formation, which was championed by Goal Difference Podcast’s Katz Roberts, to suit Liverpool’s side alongside his commitment to attacking attack.
“Milos Kerkez, who has flourished under Erola, looked strangely out of place in Liverpool’s heavy squad,” Katz Roberts said. BBC Sportadding that Slot’s “pedestrian football” is a “strange and restrictive concept” for players.
“Jeremy Frimpong, on the other hand, may find himself the biggest beneficiary of Iraola’s appointment, as he is freed to attack at will down the right flank.
“Dominik Szoboszlai, who has emerged as a miserable figure leading the one-man press at times this season, would certainly be a good fit for the high intensity.
“And perhaps more importantly, for Liverpool’s second-most expensive signing of (last) summer – who never looked like a fit in midfield or attack last season – Irola’s preferred formation should provide Florian Wirtz with the platform needed to establish himself as one of the league’s leading stars.”
Andoni Airola statistics
Iraola, a seven-capped Spanish right-back, made over 500 appearances for the Athletic Club and also represented New York City FC in their first two seasons in MLS during his playing career between 2000 and 2016.
In his first managerial role, Iraola led Cypriot club AEK Larnaca to the Europa League in the 2018/19 season. He then led Spanish second division team Mirandes to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in its history, and repeated the same trick with Rayo Vallecano, with whom he promoted to the Spanish League in the first of his three seasons in 2020/21.
Liverpool supporters may have to be patient for Iraola’s style to deliver results and prepare for patches of poor form if his seasons at Bournemouth are any measure.
Bournemouth won two of their first eight games in all competitions, then went on a 12-game unbeaten run with one win in eight league games in 2024/25.
After losing in the opening match of the season at Anfield last season, Bournemouth had won five times in eight matches without defeat in the league, but had gone 11 matches and more than two months without achieving a win to occupy 15th place before this extraordinary sequence on January 7.
Andoni Iraola: Why the Liverpool coach is ‘incredible’
Simeño attributed his success at Bournemouth to Iraola “allowing me to be myself.” The Ghanaian international explained: “We explained the game plan and what we needed to do, and in this context, I was allowed to express myself and be creative.” Bournemouth website.
“That’s why my game is thriving. Running is very important for him too, and it all comes together really well.”
USMNT international Tyler Adams credited Iraola with having a “huge impact on myself and the team” and described his departure as “sad”.
“I think he will go on to do incredible things. It’s very special to be able to leave the club in a situation like this, so we wish him all the best.” Adams said.
Airola scored at Bournemouth (Source: Transfer market)
Speaking after Bournemouth beat Fulham at home in October, former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp described Airola as “incredible” and a “fantastic manager”.
“It’s unbelievable,” former England international Redknapp told Sky Sports. “He can coach any team in world football – I mean that honestly.
“He has great quality and improves players. He gives young players opportunities. The system is great – everything you do is very progressive and exciting up front.”
Former Premier League midfielder Steve Sidwell, who provides analysis alongside Redknapp, said he would have “loved playing” with Erola.
“It simplifies the game,” Sidwell explained. “You look at the way Bournemouth play: high intensity, winning the ball as high up the pitch as possible.
“They go straight in and know how to turn teams around and play to their strengths. They have the players who do that, without being arrogant. They know their jobs and roles and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”
When will Iraola’s first match as Liverpool coach?
Liverpool’s next match will be against its rival Sunderland in the English Premier League in Nashville on July 25, as part of an American tour in preparation for the new season.
Their next match at Anfield will be a friendly match against Monaco in Ligue 1 on August 9. To you Liverpool’s pre-season matches.
The 2026/27 Premier League fixtures will be announced on Friday 19 June at 10:00 GMT (05:00 ET / 02:00 GMT).
2026/27 Premier League The season begins on the weekend of August 22, 2026 and ends on May 30, 2027.
