Andoni Iraola is the clear favourite for the vacant Liverpool head coach job after Arne Slot was dismissed on Saturday.
The 43-year-old is the leading contender for the role but Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness and Lens boss Pierre Sage are also being considered as options.
Iraola has worked with Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes before at Bournemouth, ahead of the 46-year-old’s move to Merseyside in 2024.
The Spaniard took charge of his final game as Bournemouth head coach on Sunday, a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest that saw them finish sixth in the Premier League and qualify for the Europa League for the first time in their history.
Iraola has been linked to multiple clubs since the announcement of his exit last month, with Crystal Palace among those who have been interested. Palace manager Oliver Glasner announced that he would leave the club following the expiration of his contract, and The Athletic reported that the Bournemouth head coach fits their criteria.
Chelsea and Manchester United were also linked, though they have subsequently confirmed the appointments of Xabi Alonso and Michael Carrick respectively.
Iraola’s Bournemouth exit at the end of the season was revealed by The Athletic on April 14, with the club confirming his departure later that day. He will be succeeded at the south-coast club by former Borussia Dortmund head coach Marco Rose, who is joining Bournemouth on a three-year contract.
Iraola arrived at Bournemouth from Spanish side Rayo Vallecano on a two-year deal in the summer of 2023. In his first season, Bournemouth finished 12th in the Premier League and extended his terms by an additional two years at the end of the campaign. In 2024-25, Bournemouth secured a ninth-place finish, nine points outside the European qualification places.
Bournemouth sources said that although they are disappointed to lose Iraola, they respect his decision and maintain a strong relationship. They added that the club tried everything possible to keep the 43-year-old on the south coast, and negotiated for 15 months.
Bournemouth’s high-tempo, attacking style of play has earned Iraola plaudits during his time at the Vitality Stadium and ended the season on an 18-game unbeaten run to secure European qualification.
What does Iraola bring to his teams?
Analysis by Thom Harris
At the heart of Iraola’s outstanding time at Bournemouth was a commitment to a high-intensity system that suits a carefully-crafted squad.
Once a relatively passive side without the ball, Bournemouth quickly became the standard-bearers for aggressive, front-footed pressing and athleticism, seeking to smother opposition build-up at source rather than sink into a low defensive block.
From there, they look to attack quickly and directly whenever they steal possession.
The manager demands split-second decision-making from his players, switching from zonal to man-to-man marking systems when they sense an opportunity to close in. It relies on collective cohesion from back to front, and team-mates on high alert to jump forward in support once the first player commits to the press.
The transformation has been wholesale. And though it took time for his ideas to sink in, the disruptive nature of Iraola’s approach quickly began to bear fruit.
