Iraola Confirms Liverpool Switch, Turns Down Leverkusen

Andoni Iraola is set to take over at Liverpool following Arne Slot's departure, with the Bournemouth boss having made his intentions clear to Bayer Leverkusen that he will be heading to Merseyside instead.

The Anfield club shocked supporters on Sunday with the news that Slot had been sacked, a particularly striking decision given the Dutch tactician had guided Liverpool to Champions League qualification for the 2026/27 season.

The Spanish manager, who arrived at Bournemouth in 2023 and has overseen a remarkable transformation of the south-coast outfit—who will compete in the Europa League next term for the first time—had been widely tipped as the frontrunner for the vacant post. Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen had both expressed interest in securing his services this summer.

According to reports, Iraola has now informed the Bundesliga champions that he will not be joining their project. Despite positive discussions taking place between the 43-year-old and the German club, he has opted instead to embark on his next challenge in the Premier League.

Behind the scenes, Liverpool's recruitment team has been quietly orchestrating the move for some months. The club's director of research Richard Hughes maintained dialogue with Iraola throughout the process, keeping the operation on track while public attention was diverted elsewhere.

Leverkusen have subsequently ramped up efforts to appoint Oliver Glasner as their new head coach following Iraola's decision. Talks with the Austrian manager are ongoing, though Glasner is understood to be taking time to fully evaluate the club's sporting structure and long-term vision before committing to his next role.

Meanwhile, reports have also dismissed speculation that Sebastian Hoeneß was ever in consideration for the Liverpool position, with no contact having been made between the club and the Bayern Munich boss at any point.