Liverpool confirm appointment of Andoni Iraola as new head coach

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Andoni Iraola has been appointed the new head coach of Liverpool on a two-year contract. Other coaches were considered, including Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Pierre Sage of Lens, but Iraola was always Liverpool’s favoured option and the only one spoken to about the vacancy.Andoni Iraola (left) leaves Liverpool’s training base after talks with the club hierarchy.

Photograph: Peter Byrne/PALiverpool’s approach for Iraola was led by their sporting director, Richard Hughes, who also appointed him at Bournemouth in 2023 after sacking Gary O’Neil. Negotiations were helped by Iraola making it clear from the outset that Liverpool were the only club he wanted to join following the expiry of his contract with Bournemouth.

While short by Liverpool’s previous standards, the length of the deal is in keeping with how Iraola liked to manage his career at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano. Elphick and Cooper remain under contract with the south coast club and Liverpool have not finalised any additions to their new backroom team as yet.Liverpool consider Iraola one of the best coaches available and perfectly suited to evolving the team’s style after the disappointing end to Slot’s Anfield career.