Liverpool, June 5 (HS): Premier League club Liverpool have appointed former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as the club’s new manager on a two-year contract. The announcement was made by the club on Thursday.

The 43-year-old Iraola will replace Dutch coach Arne Slot. Slot guided Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first season in charge but was dismissed after failing to meet expectations during his second campaign.

Following his appointment, Iraola said in an official statement, “You do not need many reasons to be attracted to Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool. But, of course, the atmosphere, the supporters, the club itself, the players, the opportunity to coach elite-level footballers, and the chance to compete for major trophies—there is hardly anything more appealing than that. Opportunities like this do not come around often. I am incredibly excited to get started.”

A former Spain international, Iraola played for Athletic Bilbao from 2003 to 2015. He took charge of Bournemouth in 2023 and oversaw a significant improvement in the club’s performances.

During the 2024–25 season, Bournemouth collected 56 points and finished ninth in the league, matching the club’s best-ever finish in the top flight at the time.

Iraola improved upon that achievement this season. Under his leadership, Bournemouth finished sixth and secured qualification for the UEFA Europa League.

He announced his departure from the club in April.

Iraola now faces the challenge of restoring Liverpool to the very top level of English football. The club finished fifth last season and will also have to cope with the absence of Mohamed Salah, who had been the team’s leading goalscorer for the better part of the past decade.

The appointment is widely regarded as the biggest opportunity of Iraola’s coaching career so far and will also serve as a major test of his managerial abilities at one of the world’s most prestigious football clubs.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar