Liverpool have opened talks with Iraola, the Spanish coach who left Bournemouth after leading the club to its highest ever Premier League finish. The move comes after Iraola walked away from Bournemouth despite guiding them to European qualification this season.
Iraola has no experience managing one of Europe's elite clubs. He previously coached Rayo Vallecano in Spain and had a stint in Cyprus before joining Bournemouth in 2023. His reputation has grown significantly during his time in England.
The title of the job changes quickly; the explanation usually takes a little longer to catch up.
Under Iraola, Bournemouth became one of the most entertaining teams in the league—regularly upsetting bigger clubs despite limited spending power. It was the kind of run that makes you wonder what the budget might have been with a few more resources.
The departures of players like Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Alexander Isak—none of whom impressed in their debut seasons at Bournemouth—did not stop Iraola from achieving his best result yet. He leaves behind a club that qualified for Europe for the first time in its history.