London: Liverpool Football Club has reached a verbal agreement with Andoni Iraola to assume the vacant head coach position, designating the Spaniard as the successor to Arne Slot after the Dutchman was dismissed a year after securing the Premier League championship.

According to Sky Sports News, Iraola intends to integrate Pablo de la Torre, Tommy Elphick, Shaun Cooper and Tom Webber into his technical coaching staff at Anfield. A formal announcement from the Merseyside club could materialise within the coming days.

The recruitment process was directed by Sporting Director Richard Hughes, who previously appointed Iraola at Bournemouth in 2023, prior to transferring to his executive role at Anfield the subsequent year. Following Slot's dismissal on Saturday, Sky Sports News disclosed that Iraola had emerged as the primary candidate, with formal negotiations anticipated to commence this week.

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Liverpool's primary objective throughout the search has been to identify and secure a strategist whose tactical philosophy aligns with the club's preferred playing system. Club officials have not yet initiated direct contact with any external personnel regarding auxiliary coaching positions, as such determinations are contingent upon reaching the advanced phases of negotiations with Iraola.

The Rise of Iraola

Iraola was originally headhunted by Hughes during their shared tenure at Bournemouth, where the manager achieved significant competitive success at the Vitality Stadium.

The Cherries engineered an 18-match unbeaten streak during the latter half of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, propelling the squad to a sixth-place finish and securing qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Bournemouth concluded the domestic season trailing Liverpool by a margin of just three points in the standings.

Iraola initially arrived at Bournemouth from Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano in 2023, having previously managed Mirandés and AEK Larnaca. Under his stewardship, Bournemouth demonstrated consistent year-on-year improvement, securing consecutive league finishes of 12th, ninth and sixth.

The Spanish tactician earned widespread plaudits for his astute tactical frameworks and his development of emerging young talents, including Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott.

ALSO READ: Liverpool fans back Arne Slot amid Salah rift

The Collapse of the Slot Era

Slot was relieved of his duties last weekend after Liverpool concluded the Premier League season in fifth place, finishing 25 points adrift of champions Arsenal.

Though the Dutchman guided Liverpool to the Premier League title during his inaugural season at the helm, his sophomore campaign rapidly deteriorated. The tragic death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota last year cast a profound shadow over Anfield, while the club's £450 million ($606 million) capital expenditure on player acquisitions failed to yield the anticipated competitive returns.

Furthermore, Slot's professional relationship with talismanic forward Mohamed Salah fractured, while the Liverpool support grew increasingly critical of the former Feyenoord manager amid a series of listless team performances and deficient results.

Liverpool's acquisition of Iraola reflects an institutional desire to transition back toward the aggressive, high-pressing offensive style popularised by Slot's predecessor, Jürgen Klopp.

Iraola remains eager to transition his Bournemouth assistant, Tommy Elphick, to Anfield alongside him. Elphick, a boyhood Liverpool supporter, has reportedly rebuffed a managerial offer from second-tier Championship club Bristol City to facilitate the move.