Liverpool are on the verge of appointing Andoni Iraola as their new manager, with a verbal agreement already in place and a formal announcement expected within days. The swift move, reported by multiple outlets and captured by the renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano with his trademark “Here We Go”, follows the sacking of Arne Slot after a turbulent second season at Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes, who previously brought Iraola to Bournemouth, has led the negotiations, ensuring that the 43-year-old Spaniard will be in post well before the World Cup begins next week, granting a lengthy adaptation period.

Slot’s dismissal came after Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League, a full 25 points behind the champions and a jarring contrast to the title-winning campaign he orchestrated in his first year. The club’s hierarchy, viewing the collapse as a systemic failure rather than a temporary dip, opted for a swift and decisive reset. Slot became the twelfth managerial casualty of the league season, underscoring the cut-throat expectations at the highest level of English football.

Iraola’s candidacy prevailed over more storied names such as Xabi Alonso and Zinedine Zidane, a choice that has raised eyebrows from Jakarta to Madrid. Indonesian outlets highlighted the surprise among global fans that Liverpool would bypass its own former midfield maestro Alonso in favour of a coach whose main credential is transforming Bournemouth into a European qualifier. Yet the club’s analysis pointed precisely to that achievement: Iraola’s aggressive, high-pressing style is seen as a natural fit for Liverpool’s historical DNA, which had been diluted under Slot. His sixth-place finish with a modest Bournemouth side, combined with his tactical clarity, convinced Liverpool’s decision-makers that he could revive the attacking verve the Kop craves.

The appointment reverberated across the continent. Russian sports pages noted that bookmakers immediately installed Liverpool as third favourites for next season’s Premier League, behind Arsenal and Manchester City, a slight shift in odds reflecting guarded optimism. Middle Eastern sources highlighted the compatibility of Iraola’s philosophy with the “heavy metal football” associated with the Jürgen Klopp era, suggesting a deliberate attempt to reconnect with the club’s identity.

The speed of the transaction signals a board confident in its new sporting structure. Analysts in London point out that by securing Iraola before the World Cup, Liverpool have given themselves a rare window of undisturbed preparation. The Basque coach arrives with no major silverware to his name, but with a growing reputation for overachievement. Whether he can handle the weight of expectation at a club of Liverpool’s stature remains the central question, one that the coming season will begin to answer.