Iraola Agrees Two-Year Liverpool Deal as FSG Wobbled Over Slot Sacking

Andoni Iraola is set to become Liverpool's next manager on a two-year contract running until June 2028, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed. The Bournemouth boss made the specific request for a two-year arrangement—the same length of deal he consistently negotiated during his time on the south coast—and the Reds have obliged.

Slot's departure came in late May following a disappointing second campaign at Anfield, where Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League after winning the title the previous season. Though the club scraped through to next season's Champions League, the collapse from champions to also-rans sealed the Dutchman's fate.

Iraola emerged as the clear frontrunner for the job almost immediately. Romano's latest reporting indicates the Spanish tactician is already embedded in transfer planning and recruitment strategy at Anfield, with his Bournemouth contract expiring at the end of June.

According to one senior sporting director from a continental powerhouse, Iraola represents perhaps the finest managerial prospect available over the next three to four years. However, the assessment came with a caveat: success will hinge on how quickly the existing squad adapts to his methods. The comparison was drawn to Rafa Benítez—a coach obsessed with tactical detail and player development, but one who prioritises improvement over personal warmth. Tommy Elphick, Iraola's assistant, may prove crucial in softening that approach and providing the man-management buffer this Liverpool group requires.

The Reds' decision to move on from Slot wasn't entirely straightforward, though. Keith Wyness, the former Everton chief executive, has revealed that Liverpool experienced "second thoughts" about the sacking when the team's performances briefly rallied. Wyness suggested the dithering created an untidy process, with the club potentially losing faith earlier than they ultimately acted. He felt the timing proved counterintuitive—better, in his view, to make the break decisively rather than endure an end-of-season review that merely delayed the inevitable.