Iraola Deal Still Hanging in Balance as Leverkusen Await Definitive Answer

Liverpool's search for a new manager hit a curious snag this week when it emerged that Andoni Iraola, widely touted as the Reds' prime target, hasn't actually told Bayer Leverkusen where to go—at least not yet.

The shock came on Saturday when Arne Slot was shown the exit door, despite steering Liverpool to the Premier League title in his debut campaign. A disappointing fifth-place finish last season, coupled with mounting unrest among the playing squad, sealed the Dutchman's fate.

Enter Iraola, the Bournemouth manager who steered the Cherries to sixth place just three points adrift of Liverpool. He immediately emerged as the clear frontrunner to take the Anfield hot seat, and early reports suggested the Spaniard had already made his decision, informing Leverkusen through intermediaries that he wouldn't be entertaining their interest.

One outlet claimed Iñaki Ibáñez, head of IDUB Global, and Iraola himself had delivered the message to the German club, stating that while discussions had been positive and their project presentation compelling, he would be declining their offer.

That narrative, however, has taken an intriguing twist. Florian Plettenberg, the well-regarded transfer insider, has since cast doubt on those claims. According to Plettenberg, negotiations between Liverpool and Iraola are progressing and have reached an advanced stage—but the crucial detail is that Leverkusen have not yet received a categorical rejection from the 42-year-old.

"Negotiations between Liverpool and Andoni Iraola are ongoing and advanced," Plettenberg posted on X. "Bayer 04 Leverkusen have been informed. However, they have not yet received a 100% rejection from Iraola. It now depends solely on Liverpool and Iraola reaching an agreement."

The distinction matters. While it's entirely plausible that Iraola will end up at Anfield—and most indicators suggest he will—the fact that he's keeping his options technically open with Leverkusen suggests the Liverpool deal isn't quite the done deal some have painted it to be.

Still, all signs point to Iraola being Liverpool's man. The Reds clearly identified him as their target and likely began groundwork well before Slot's sacking was confirmed. Barring an unexpected U-turn, expect the move to be rubber-stamped relatively swiftly. But until pen meets paper, there remains a sliver of uncertainty hanging over proceedings.