Andoni Iraola is expected to replace Arne Slot as Liverpool boss. The connection between Richard Hughes, Liverpool's sporting director, and Andoni Iraola is well documented.

The Spaniard was appointed as Bournemouth head coach - his first break in English football - in 2023 on the advice of Hughes, then technical director at the Cherries. Three years later, Iraola finished the job - having confirmed in April he would leave the club at the end of the season - with an 18-game unbeaten run that saw Bournemouth finish sixth and achieve European football for the first time.

The 43-year-old's managerial path has taken him from AEK Larnaca in Cyprus to Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano in Spain, then Bournemouth. And while his career is, understandably, light on silverware - the Cypriot Super Cup in 2018 remains his only trophy to date - he has often overachieved, with Bournemouth securing a club-record finish in each of his three campaigns.

Now Hughes and Michael Edwards, chief executive of Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG), believe Iraola is the man to re-establish the Reds as one of Europe's top clubs.

Slot's sacking completes a remarkable fall from grace. Liverpool sack head coach Slot and approach Iraola. One of the key reasons Liverpool parted ways with Slot was his style of play, with lacklustre performances stirring boos from the Anfield crowd in his final term.

Hughes saw first-hand how toxic the home atmosphere was when he attended Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Chelsea in May. "Intensity is our identity" was the phrase coined by Pep Lijnders, Jurgen Klopp's assistant, during their time at Anfield.

But this campaign Liverpool stumbled their way into the Champions League. "The last 10 games of last season, and for the majority of this season, we haven't looked like Liverpool. The style has been difficult to watch at times," Steven Gerrard told TNT Sports. "I think his [Iraola's] style would suit Liverpool," he added.

Liverpool need someone who commands their team to play with energy to bring the joy back to Anfield. Iraola's style is based on high pressing and rapid and direct play.

In 2023, Iraola told The Sunday Times that he prefers "chaos over organisation" and loves "gegenpressing" [counter-pressing]. "It's a matter of how much do you want to risk the ball. I tell players whenever you recover it, your first look has to be not even to the number nine, but the keeper. Can you score?" he said at the time.

The question is not only whether Iraola can implement that style at Liverpool but whether it can be done every few days, with the challenges of European football. Those close to Iraola say he is meticulous with routine, so it will be interesting to see how things change when he no longer has a whole week to prepare for a game.

By the end of Slot's tenure, there was a collective sense of frustration, particularly among academy prospects who felt they had been overlooked. Liverpool are encouraged by Iraola's ability at Bournemouth to get the best out of new signings and youngsters, with Alex Scott, Rayan, Junior Kroupi, and Adrian Truffert brought on under his tutelage.

Under Slot, there was a perception that Liverpool had too many days off - a complaint the club deemed unfair. Club data suggests there is little difference between the amount of days off players had across each of Slot's two seasons (50 in 2024-25 and 45 in 2025-26) and their last campaign under Klopp (47 in 2023-24).

Questions were also asked about the effectiveness of training sessions because of the poor performances. Under Iraola, sessions will certainly be intense. "Andoni likes to take all of the sessions and be in the thick of it as opposed to leaving it to others," said a Bournemouth source. "He was always at the training ground before me and left after me, and I feel like I'm here all the time!"

Liverpool need to make Anfield an intimidating place for visiting teams again. Though club sources insist fan discontent wasn't a major factor in the decision to part ways with Slot, ultimately he had lost vast sections of the fanbase.

Unlike Slot, whose family remained in the Netherlands, Iraola's wife and two children are expected to move north with him. These things may not matter to the men in suits, but it will to supporters.

For Hughes, whose contract expires next summer, Iraola's appointment could define his tenure at Liverpool. It took until late October for the Spaniard to lead Bournemouth to a Premier League win in his first season in charge.

At Anfield, the pressure will be on from the outset. "The first seven or eight games didn't go to plan but as soon as he got the team going, it was unbelievable," said a Bournemouth source. "Of course, Bournemouth is nothing like the scale of the task at Liverpool but Andoni is so driven and that's why he's so successful and why I think it will all work out at Anfield."

Iraola started last season in the Anfield dugout when his Bournemouth side lost 4-2 to the Reds. Come August, the man from Spain is expected to be there again.

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