Andoni Iraola lands in Liverpool as head coach appointment set to be confirmed

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SportFootballLiverpool FCAndoni Iraola has arrived on Merseyside ahead of being confirmed as new Liverpool head coachAndoni Iraola has arrived on Merseyside ahead of being appointed new Liverpool head coach following the sacking of Arne Slot last weekend.Iraola's flight from San Sebastian in Spain touched down at Liverpool John Lennon Airport on Thursday morning with the Spaniard expected to then put pen to paper on a two-year contract having already reached a verbal agreement with the Reds.Liverpool have made the 43-year-old, who disembarked the jet into a bus on the far side of the plane, their preferred candidate after opting to axe Premier League title winner Slot after just two years in charge.Iraola is a free agent having left Bournemouth at the end of the season after three seasons and last month leading them to European qualification for the first time in their history.Discussions over the Anfield role have been led by the club's sporting director Richard Hughes, who appointed Iraola at Bournemouth when he was previously working at the South Coast side.Iraola was a right-back as a player and spent the majority of his career at Athletic Bilbao, and as a youth played in the same team in San Sebastian as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and new Chelsea manager and former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.He began his managerial career with a brief stint in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca before one year at Mirandes in the Spanish second tier and a subsequent three-year stint at Rayo Vallecano, who he took into La Liga and to the last four of the Copa del Rey.While Iraola has never won a major honour as either a player or manager, his attack-minded, high intensity style of play has earned him a growing reputation in the Premier League.And while Liverpool also shortlisted Sebastian Hoeness of Stuttgart and Pierre Sage of Lens as potential successors to Slot, they believe Iraola is the best fit for their squad after a hugely disappointing season.Choose Liverpool Echo as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Liverpool FCAndoni Iraola