Arne Slot Sacked, Andoni Iraola Is the Leading Candidate to Take Over as Liverpool's Head Coach

Liverpool are moving quickly to find a new manager after deciding to end their working relationship with Arne Slot, following results that were deemed to have fallen short of targets throughout the 2025/2026 Season. Among the list of names monitored by the club management, Andoni Iraola is cited as the strongest candidate to take the head coach role at Anfield.

A report from The Athletics published on Saturday notes that the former Bournemouth manager is currently the frontrunner for Liverpool's vacant coaching position. Iraola leads other candidates under consideration including Sebastian Hoeness, Pierre Sage, Oliver Glasner, and Luis Enrique.

Liverpool's decision to part ways with Slot was finalised after the club failed to meet pre-season targets. While the club still secured a Champions League qualification spot with a 5th place finish in the English league, The Reds concluded the full campaign without winning a single trophy.

This result was judged to be far below expectations, especially after Liverpool had invested over 400 million pounds sterling to strengthen their squad during the 2025/2026 Season.

This outcome also marks a regression for the Merseyside club, as Liverpool entered the season as the defending English League Champions having lifted the domestic trophy in the prior campaign.

At this point, club management is racing against time to confirm the new head coach before pre-season preparations commence in mid-July.

Iraola is considered the most realistic option as he is currently unattached, not bound by contract to any club following his departure from Bournemouth.

Beyond his availability, Iraola's chances are further strengthened by his existing good working relationship with Liverpool Sporting Director Richard Hughes.

Hughes is recorded as the official who originally brought Iraola into English Football during his tenure at Bournemouth approximately three years prior.

The 44-year-old coach is also on the radar of multiple other major European clubs. Crystal Palace and AC Milan are both reported to be monitoring his situation ahead of the upcoming new season.

Despite this interest, the same source confirms that Iraola is currently choosing to await updates on Liverpool's New Manager Search process before making any decisions regarding his own future.

If officially appointed, Iraola will face the major challenge of returning Liverpool to winning form, while meeting the high expectations of supporters who want to see The Reds compete once again at the elite level of European Football.