Liverpool's Iraola Choice Over Alonso Spells Bad News for Chelsea

Andoni Iraola is set to take over at Liverpool following Arne Slot's departure, and the appointment carries an intriguing subplot: the Reds had little interest in Xabi Alonso even before Chelsea snapped him up in May.

Slot's position came under intense scrutiny throughout the season, but the club's hierarchy chose to conduct a thorough end-of-season review rather than act hastily. That assessment concluded with Slot's sacking, triggering a swift managerial search that is already effectively settled.

The 43-year-old Iraola has turned down approaches from Crystal Palace, Bayer Leverkusen, and AC Milan to accept the Anfield role, with Fabrizio Romano confirming the appointment and reports suggesting a full agreement is in place.

The narrative doing the rounds suggests Liverpool shot themselves in the foot by not moving faster on their manager hunt, thereby missing out on Alonso before Chelsea appointed him in mid-May. This reasoning, however, misses the mark entirely.

According to Athletic correspondent Oliver Kay, Liverpool made a deliberate choice rooted in football philosophy rather than timing. Back in March—two months before Chelsea even hired Alonso—the club had already determined he wasn't the right fit should Slot depart.

Bundesliga specialist Kevin Hatchard outlined the thinking: Liverpool's owners FSG are keen to resurrect the aggressive, high-tempo football that defined Jurgen Klopp's era. Alonso's methods, while effective at Bayer Leverkusen where he won their first-ever Bundesliga title, emphasise control and measured buildup play. Iraola, by contrast, favours the kind of front-foot intensity that gets supporters out of their seats.

The distinction matters. Slot's cautious approach drained Anfield's atmosphere, transforming the fortress into something altogether more soporific. Liverpool's owners recognised this and sought a manager whose style would restore the energy and bite supporters expect.

Kay confirmed Liverpool could easily have sounded out Alonso before he took the Chelsea job—both managers share the same agent—but chose not to. The decision reflects a clear strategic preference rather than regret over missed timing.

While Alonso's controlled style has delivered results, it hardly qualifies as thrilling football. At a club of Liverpool's stature, combining underwhelming performances with a similarly uninspiring tactical approach proves a toxic mixture, as the Slot years demonstrated.

Iraola's appointment, then, represents a philosophical reset. Whether he can restore the "vollgas" mentality that made Liverpool formidable remains to be seen, but at least the club has chosen ambition over pragmatism.