Official: Liverpool announce Iraola after Slot sacking

Liverpool have officially appointed Andoni Iraola as their new head coach following the sudden sacking of Arne Slot.

The Merseyside giants moved swiftly to secure the 43-year-old Spaniard, who arrives at Anfield with his managerial stock at an all-time high after orchestrating a historic campaign on the South Coast.

The Basque tactician joins the Reds fresh off delivering Bournemouth’s finest top-flight season to date.

Under Iraola's guidance, the Cherries secured a stunning sixth-place finish in the Premier League, fuelled by a remarkable 18-match unbeaten run during the second half of the season that guaranteed them a spot in the upcoming Europa League.

Ironically, Iraola’s overachieving Bournemouth side finished only one position and three points behind Liverpool.

Despite the Reds enduring their lowest domestic point tally since the 2015-16 campaign with just 60 points and finishing a distant 25 points behind champions Arsenal, they still scraped into a Champions League qualification spot, handing Iraola elite European football to look forward to.

Iraola's arrival marks the rapid end of the Arne Slot era, with the Dutchman dismissed just a year after successfully guiding Liverpool to a Premier League title.

Hoping to hit the ground running, the former Athletic Club defender, who made over 500 appearances in Spain before a brief playing stint at New York City FC, is understood to be keen on bringing his trusted Bournemouth assistants, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, to Anfield as part of his restructured coaching staff.

The move represents a massive step up for a manager who took his maiden steps into coaching back in 2018 with Cypriot side AEK Larnaca.

Having previously earned praise for guiding Rayo Vallecano to La Liga promotion in 2020 before making his definitive Premier League breakthrough, Iraola now faces the ultimate pressure testing his tactical philosophy at one of world football's most decorated institutions.