Liverpool have reached an agreement in principle with Andoni Iraola to become the club’s new head coach following the departure of Arne Slot.
The 43-year-old Spaniard is expected to take charge at Anfield in the coming days after emerging as Liverpool’s preferred candidate to replace the dismissed Slot
Reports indicate negotiations progressed rapidly over the last 48 hours, with terms now agreed for Iraola to take over the Premier League club.
The former Bournemouth manager is expected to be appointed as head coach rather than manager under Liverpool’s current football structure.
Iraola is set to begin work after a short break following a successful campaign in which he guided Bournemouth to a sixth-place finish and secured European qualification for the first time in the club’s history.
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is understood to have played a key role in the appointment.
Hughes previously worked with Iraola at Bournemouth after recruiting the Spaniard to the Vitality Stadium and has maintained a long-standing admiration for his coaching style.
Iraola’s arrival is expected to signal a return to the aggressive, high-intensity pressing football that has been associated with Liverpool’s most successful recent years.
His teams have consistently ranked among the Premier League’s strongest for pressing intensity, physical output and regaining possession high up the pitch.
Questions have, however, been raised over whether such an approach can be maintained across a demanding schedule that includes domestic and European competitions.
The Spaniard’s coaching career has included spells with AEK Larnaca, Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano before his move to Bournemouth.
Reports also suggest he is interested in bringing former Bournemouth assistant Tommy Elphick into his coaching staff at Liverpool.
Iraola is expected to oversee his first pre-season programme in early July, although several Liverpool players are likely to report late due to World Cup commitments.
Liverpool’s pre-season schedule includes a tour of the United States, with matches against Sunderland on July 25, Wrexham on July 30 and Leeds United on August 2.
The club is expected to complete the remaining formalities and officially unveil Iraola before preparations begin for the 2026/27 campaign.
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