Liverpool Appoint Andoni Iraola As Head Coach

Liverpool Football Club has confirmed the appointment of Andoni Iraola as head coach ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The 43-year-old will take charge at Anfield, succeeding Arne Slot, who left the Reds on Saturday.

Iraola joins after three impressive Premier League campaigns with AFC Bournemouth, guiding the club into Europe for the first time in its history with a sixth-placed finish last month.

“Really excited, really excited,” he told Liverpoolfc.com. “Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world.

“But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club.

“You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.”

Iraola enjoyed a lengthy playing career, mainly as a right-back. He made more than 500 appearances for Athletic Club over 12 seasons and won seven caps for Spain. He retired in 2016 after a spell with New York City FC from 2015 to 2016.

Iraola moved into management in the summer of 2018, taking charge of AEK Larnaca and guiding them to the Cypriot Super Cup.

He then managed Spanish second-tier side Mirandés before joining Rayo Vallecano in 2020. In his first season, he led them to promotion to La Liga.

The Premier League came calling three years later when Bournemouth appointed him as head coach.

His work at the Cherries stood out, culminating in European qualification last season. An 18-match unbeaten run in the second half of the campaign sealed sixth place.