Former Bournemouth manager is the leading candidate for the Anfield job but there is also interest from Crystal Palace and clubs abroad
Liverpool will hold formal talks with Andoni Iraola this week as they accelerate their search for a successor to Arne Slot.
The club are aiming to appoint a new head coach before the World Cup begins on 11 June.
The former Bournemouth manager has emerged as the leading candidate after Liverpool made contact with his representatives. The club want a swift process and are expected to speak to preferred candidates in the coming days. Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Lens coach Pierre Sage are also under consideration.
Iraola’s availability is a significant factor in Liverpool’s thinking. The 43-year-old left Bournemouth at the end of the season after guiding the club into European competition for the first time, and he would not require compensation, whereas Liverpool would need to negotiate with Stuttgart or Lens for Hoeness or Sage.
There is competition for Iraola from elsewhere. AC Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Crystal Palace have all expressed interest in Iraola since his departure from Bournemouth, while Palace are also believed to be monitoring Sage.
Liverpool want their new manager in place before this summer’s World Cup in the Americas to allow sufficient time for planning and preparation.
Slot’s departure was confirmed on Saturday following an internal review led by the sporting director, Richard Hughes, and Fenway Sports Group’s chief executive of football, Michael Edwards. The pair assessed both results and performance data after a season that fell well below expectations despite significant investment in the squad.
Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, still retain confidence in Hughes and Edwards despite scrutiny over a recruitment drive that cost almost £450m last summer.
Players were not consulted during the review process but the dissatisfaction of Liverpool supporters was considered, although it was not decisive in the final decision. The recommendation to dismiss Slot was subsequently approved by FSG.
Slot was informed of the decision shortly before Liverpool publicly announced his departure on Saturday afternoon.
Virgil van Dijk paid tribute to the Dutchman on Sunday, writing on Instagram: “We’ll never forget winning the Premier League in our first season together. Thank you, Trainer, and best of luck to you and your family for the future.”
