Liverpool closing on deal to make Andoni Iraola head coach after holding talks

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Liverpool have opened formal talks with Andoni Iraola over succeeding Arne Slot as the club’s head coach.Iraola is the clear frontrunner for the Anfield vacancy with his style of play fitting Liverpool’s criteria for the front-footed, aggressive approach they felt was lacking in Slot’s second season in charge. The Dutchman was sacked on Saturday.Richard Hughes, the Liverpool sporting director, who appointed Iraola to take charge at Bournemouth from Rayo Vallecano in 2023, is leading the negotiations with the 43-year-old.

Hughes retains a strong working relationship with Iraola’s agent, Iñaki Ibáñez, and talks are expected to progress quickly.The Spaniard is available after leaving the Vitality Stadium at the end of last season, upon the expiry of his contract, and Liverpool want to complete the hiring process before the World Cup starts on 11 June. Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Pierre Sage of Lens have also been considered, but Iraola has always been seen as the leading candidate.Liverpool have not made any approaches to further additions to their coaching staff despite being linked with their former midfielder Thiago Alcântara, who has just left Barcelona.

Those moves will only be made once talks with Iraola reach the final stages. Iraola will want to bring his former assistant at Bournemouth, Tommy Elphick, with him to Anfield.