Liverpool

Liverpool fans have met news of an approach for Andoni Iraola in a mixed manner - with plenty of excited discussion and some concerns over his level of experience.

BBC Sport asked fan writer Lola Katz-Roberts to unpick some of the key talking points...

The words of doubt...

• "He's never won anything significant"

Andoni Iraola may not come with a glittering CV stacked with silverware, or an already iconic status on The Kop, but the Spaniard does come with one guarantee - he will, wholeheartedly, and no matter the scoreboard or opposition, commit to the most front-footed, attacking, aggressive playing style in the division. And it is a style that is, in the post-Jurgen Klopp era, engrained deep in the DNA of modern Liverpool.

• "Two games a week will test his style much more"

Liverpool managed to play two games a week quite successfully with a very similar style under Klopp.

• "His style of play will be too demanding and Liverpool's squad isn't built for it"

Across the pitch, Liverpool have players for whom playing pedestrian football is an alien and limiting concept. Milos Kerkez, who thrived under Iraola's stewardship, has looked out of place in Liverpool's strangely ponderous set-up.

Jeremie Frimpong, on the other flank, may find himself the biggest beneficiary of Iraola's appointment, released to attack at will down the right side.

Dominik Szoboszlai, who has cut a forlorn figure leading a one-man press at times this season, will surely be suited by a higher intensity.

And perhaps most importantly, for Liverpool's second-most-expensive signing of the summer - who never quite looked like he fitted in in the midfield or attack last season - Iraola's preferred formation of 4-2-3-1 should provide Florian Wirtz with the platform needed to establish himself as one of the league's leading lights.

• "He drew a lot of games at Bournemouth and went on winless runs - he can't do that at Liverpool - so it's a massive step up"

Liverpool is a step up for almost all managers in the game. Bar Klopp, every managerial appointment made by Liverpool in the modern era came with a significant degree of risk.

There are only two managers in world football, who at this moment, could walk into the Liverpool job and expect to dominate - and those names are Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique. Neither are available, and neither have proven their ability to remain competitive without almost unlimited financial backing.

Iraola, on the other hand, has proven repeatedly that he can extract the absolute maximum from whatever resources he is presented with.

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The upbeat side of the fanbase

• "His teams make you work when you face them"

The minimum requirement when donning the red shirt is to run until you can't any more. Too often this season, Liverpool have been outworked and outfought by lesser opposition. A hard-working, physically robust team, will quickly endear Iraola to the Kop.

Under Iraola, Anfield will not be muted. Instead, the football will bring the best out of players and fans. This is a club that needs to attack, to chase, to strike fear into its opponents. And whether or not Iraola succeeds in his monumental mission to establish Liverpool as England and Europe's dominant force, he will unite the fanbase and resolve the club's messy identity crisis.

• "The style of play will be enjoyable to watch"

Ultimately, for Arne Slot what told was the style of football.

Something broke around March 2025 - a bruising League Cup final defeat by Newcastle was followed by a high-octane, energy-sapping Champions League last-16 tie with Paris St-Germain.

After that, Liverpool were not the same. The eye test and the numbers reached the same conclusion.

As autumn turned to winter and then spring, week by week, the atmosphere inside Anfield turned more apathetic, until apathy was replaced by outright mutiny.

The football on the pitch bore no resemblance to the identity of the club. This is the issue that FSG identified - with media briefings post-Slot's sacking emphasising the importance of refinding an aggressive, attacking football identity.

In a season dominated by set-pieces, long throw-ins and timewasting, Iraola's Bournemouth were the tonic.

Find more from Lola Katz Roberts at the Goal Difference podcast, external

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Liverpool legend Ian Rush says Sir Kenny Dalglish is "one of the strongest and most positive people", after it was revealed the Anfield great is having treatment for cancer.

The legendary forward and former manager wanted to keep the news private, but confirmed the diagnosis after accidentally sharing the news in an "inadvertent social media post".

Rush, who played alongside Dalglish at Liverpool, posted on Instagram, external: "The King is one of the strongest and most positive people I've ever known.

"If anyone can face this battle with courage and determination, it's King Kenny. We're all behind you."

Will Andoni Iraola be expected to win the Premier League in his first season?

Ex-Liverpool player Conor Coady thinks so given the expectation levels at the club.

Below you can watch the panel on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club discuss the task facing Iraola should he make the step up from Bournemouth to Liverpool.

In considering the data presented above regarding managers struggling when making the leap to England's bigger clubs, Coady said: "It's tough and it will be tough because the expectation at Liverpool is completely different to Bournemouth.

"I think so much of it is expectation.

"What he's done at Bournemouth has been incredible. I love when these managers like get opportunities at bigger clubs.

"I'm hoping he goes in there and flies because then you will see other managers getting chances but a huge part is expectation. Bournemouth are not expected to win the Premier League, Iraola will be expected to win the Premier League with Liverpool because of the money they have spent."

• Press play below to watch a clip, get the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

The Athletic's Adam Crafton added: "I think he's an amazing coach, incredibly impressive guy, but how does the intensity work when you're in four competitions?

"That is something I'd be worried about and Bournemouth picked up a lot of injuries even with one game a week. I'm curious to see how he adapts to that. I think he is capable of it."

Liverpool will face AS Monaco and Como 1907 in pre-season fixtures at Anfield

The Reds will finish their summer preparations with two games at Anfield, hosting Ligue 1 side AS Monaco on Sunday 9 August and Serie A side Como 1907 on Sunday 16 August.

Liverpool already have pre-season fixtures against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds planned for venues in the USA from 25 July to 2 August.

In a new BBC Sport documentary, James Milner reflects on a career that has ended at 40, after making a record 658 Premier League appearances with six different clubs.

Team-mates and coaches reveal the drive behind 24 years at the top.

Watch below or on BBC iPlayer here

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We asked for your views on your beliefs and doubts about the potential of Andoni Iraola becoming the next Liverpool boss.

We explained some fans think the Spaniard has not won enough or that his style of play is too intense for the current squad and we outlined why many fans - on the flip side - think his style makes him an ideal fit.

We wanted to know what you thought of the angles fans are taking and here are some of your comments:

Rick: Iraola was my wish and is the best fit pick for the 2026-27 Reds. I was hopeful that the hierarchy were going for him as soon as he announced his departure from Bournemouth. There will be plenty of adjustments to the squad (mainly depth to deliver during twice weeklies) and his style won't be a fit for all of the current players. But I am excited to see LFC under his leadership. Hard Rock football once again!

Steve: Iraola has won over the owners, perhaps. He looks like he is got the fans on side, perhaps. But, will he unite the dressing room? The team is obviously split around Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot hires. He has several elite players in there who will want to play for the best world-class managers and I am not sure Iraola fits this requirement.

Caleb: I feel like any manager who plays good, exciting football will suit the attacking players at Liverpool - something we've not seen happen this season with Slot.

Graham: I can see and agree with both sides of the equation. However, one point has been missed. Whether or not he has had success, look at the quality of players he has produced. Also, remember the limited budget at his disposal. He has the ability to nurture, understand and improve players. Something we didn't see or get from Slot.

Roy: The style he likes to play is the Liverpool DNA, but we don't have the squad depth to play this way twice a week.

Dax: I'm totally on the doubters' side. Liverpool is a massive step up from Bournemouth. Look how long it's taken Eddie Howe and Newcastle are mid-table. Liverpool need someone not only with proven experience but who understands the Kop mentality. If Iraola is going to manage, he's going to need someone like Pep Lijnders or Steven Gerrard as an assistant. It's not enough to have overachieved with a mid-table team like Bournemouth. Overachieving for Liverpool means winning everything!

Kate: He's a great fit - his style of play is good for Liverpool. Of course, the team needs to comply to his methods and really work with him. Contract needs sorting ASAP so that they can move on and sign some new, needed players. Sooner the better to get a good pre-season and get fit and gel together. No more swapping players around in different positions either.

Simon: It doesn't matter that he's never won anything significant - if you look back at Liverpool over the past 60 years, the vast majority of the managers hadn't, including Shanks! It's what you do in the role that matters, not what you did in the past.

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Andoni Iraola's prospective appointment as Liverpool boss was a hot topic of discussion on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

The Reds are in advanced talks with the Spaniard and are keen to make an appointment at the earliest possible opportunity and want a manager who fits their preferred playing style, which is to deliver front-foot, aggressive football.

Below, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton says Iraola has "earned the right" to take this "enormous step" by "doing the hard yards".

"In some way you're better off by taking over when the team has had a bit of a stinker," said Sutton.

The panel also discussed Iraola's demeanour on the touchline and with the media compared to the departed Arne Slot.

"They feed of the manager," said former Reds defender Conor Coady.

"At Liverpool, the manager is the most important person at the football club by an absolute country mile. You have to have a rapport with the supporters. He needs to be on the front foot constantly to get the best out of that football club."

The Athletic's Adam Crafton says Iraola is "really charismatic" but that his desire to coach rather than oversee recruitment will also "give the club more control".

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

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If Andoni Iraola gets the keys to the head coach's office at Liverpool's training ground, what key interventions can he make in the wake of a stuttering season under Arne Slot?

Much of the fan discourse around potentially turning to Iraola has fallen into two camps - 'good fit' versus 'big step up'. Within those opposing stances you can slot fears over running players into the ground on the negative side and an engaging style of play on the positive.

Iraola has an obvious desire to get after opponents. His former forward Antoine Semenyo is on the record as saying some players were "hanging" as a result of Iraola's desire to train the day after a game and that players humorously shared a "no days off again" message, external in their private WhatsApp discussions.

Clearly there is a desire to work but last season, Bournemouth only ranked 10th in the Premier League for distance run, with Liverpool 19th.

On average, the Cherries clocked just under 114km per match. What is notable, is how they ran and when. Iraola's side were second in the league when it comes to running at high speed (Liverpool 11th) and fourth for winning the ball in the final third (Liverpool fifth).

So while the distance figures don't point to absurd overload, the intensity is clear. Iraola's side hounded in key areas and with ferocity. This showed up in the number of duels they contested - ranking third in the league, with Liverpool slumped in 19th.

Iraola's desire to 'get after' games presents in how his side played with the ball too. Bournemouth averaged 50% possession, leaving them 11th in the rankings compared to Liverpool in second on 59%. Rather than building controlled domination of the ball, Iraola's side did their damage at pace, sitting in joint first in the league for goals from fast breaks.

It would appear the intensity and pursuit of matches also played out in the shape of a never-say-die attitude, with Bournemouth winning 17 points from losing positions last season. The tally was the third best in the league, with Liverpool ranked 17th with five.

So, at first glance at least, Iraola - if appointed - looks set to bring the art of the duel, the basics of running hard and the last-minute drama back to Anfield. It will, of course, be key he has the personnel to carry out such demands.

There are variables aplenty. Just like there are opinions over his potential appointment.

Was the timing of Arne Slot's dismissal at Liverpool strange?

The team on Monday Night Club have considered the move made by the Reds' hierarchy.

Former Liverpool player Conor Coady says the dismissal makes him feel "uncomfortable".

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

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The connection between Richard Hughes, Liverpool's sporting director, and Andoni Iraola is well documented.

The Spaniard was appointed as Bournemouth head coach - his first break in English football - in 2023 on the advice of Hughes, then technical director at the Cherries.

Now Hughes and Michael Edwards, chief executive of Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, believe Iraola is the man to re-establish the Reds as one of Europe's top clubs.

Liverpool need someone who commands his team to play with energy to bring the joy back to Anfield.

Iraola's style is based on high pressing and rapid and direct play. In 2023, Iraola told The Sunday Times, external that he prefers "chaos over organisation" and loves "gegenpressing" [counter-pressing].

One of the key reasons Liverpool parted ways with Arne Slot was his style of play, with lacklustre performances stirring boos from the Anfield crowd in his final term.

By the end of Slot's tenure, there was a collective sense of frustration, particularly among academy prospects, who felt they had been overlooked.

Liverpool are encouraged by Iraola's ability at Bournemouth to get the best out of new signings and youngsters, with Alex Scott, Rayan, Eli Junior Kroupi and Adrian Truffert brought on under his tutelage.

There was a perception that Liverpool had too many days off - a complaint the club deemed unfair. Club data suggests there is little difference between the amount of days off players had across each of Slot's two seasons (50 in 2024-25 and 45 in 2025-26) and their last campaign under Jurgen Klopp (47 in 2023-24).

Questions were also asked about the effectiveness of training sessions because of the poor performances. Under Iraola, sessions will certainly be intense.

"Andoni likes to take all of the sessions and be in the thick of it, as opposed to leaving it to others," said a Bournemouth source. "He was always at the training ground before me and left after me, and I feel like I'm here all the time!"

For Hughes, whose contract expires next summer, Iraola's appointment could define his tenure at Liverpool.

Read more on why Liverpool want Iraola

Liverpool are keen on RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande but have yet to reach a verbal agreement over a deal for the 19-year-old Ivory Coast striker. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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BBC Radio Solent's Bournemouth commentator Jordan Clark says Andoni Iraola's style of play would be a "fantastic fit" at Liverpool.

The Reds will open formal talks with Iraola this week over becoming their new head coach, after the sacking of Arne Slot.

It is believed the Spaniard's intense, high-pressing and energetic approach is attractive to the club's hierarchy after lacklustre performances stirred boos from the Anfield crowd in the final stages of Slot's tenure.

"If you look at the style of play and what the fans demand at Anfield, he would be a fantastic fit for Liverpool," Jordan told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"It's high intensity, exciting, attacking. You're never off the edge of your seat - you haven't been for the past three years if you're a Bournemouth fan. You're always thinking something could happen in the game.

"He heads into every match looking to win three points, even deep into stoppage time. Watching his Bournemouth side has been nothing but pure quality. On that side of things, he ticks a very big box for Liverpool."

Asked if Iraola provides the "heavy metal football" played by Jurgen Klopp and referenced by Mohamed Salah in his recent Instagram post, Clark added: "It's exactly Iraola's style. When he first arrived there was a lot of talk that his style was about creating chaos.

"There is a lot more planning and thinking that goes into the approach and how the press happens.

"But, it's a high press - it's nicking the ball off the opponent at every opportunity. And at the other end, if you have to defend, it's about getting yourself back up the pitch as quickly as possible."

Listen to the full chat below or on BBC Sounds

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Liverpool's upcoming talks with Andoni Iraola have been met with a largely - but not unanimously - positive response from fans on social media. A brief scan of the debate breaks down a little like this:

The doubters...

• He's never won anything significant;

• Two games a week will test his style much more;

• His style of play will be too demanding and Liverpool's squad isn't built for it;

• He drew a lot of games at Bournemouth and went on winless runs - he can't do that at Liverpool, so it's a massive step up.

The believers...

• His teams make you work when you face them;

• He makes his players train hard, according to Antoine Semenyo;

• The style of play will be enjoyable to watch.

We would love it if you'd consider the bullet points and respond to some of them. Do you agree with some? Or do you take issue with certain points?

Help us build the debate on Iraola by getting in touch with your views here

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We asked for your memories of James Milner's time at Anfield and his best moments in a Liverpool shirt, after the 40-year-old announced his retirement from playing on Monday.

Here are some of your comments:

Ryan: An honour to call him a Liverpool player. What an absolute legend of the Premier League. Not many ex pros can say they played for Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Leeds and Brighton and still be pretty universally loved. An outstanding professional, an incredible athlete and blimey, what a player too. Scandalous he didn't get more game time for England but he can look back on his playing career with utter pride. Forever a Premier League legend. Thanks for the memories, Milly, and wouldn't be at all surprised to see him on the coaching staff of a Premier League team in the future.

Christopher: What a career, what a player and, more importantly, what a man! A true icon and role model of the game. I am so glad we got to witness him at Liverpool. Happy retirement, James, you should be proud.

Adrian: There's not many to whom the term legend can be applied, but Milly has earned that in spades. What a career. What a consummate professional. What a role model to the younger generation. As a Liverpool fan, I'd love to see him in a youth coaching capacity, but wishing him all the best in whatever he chooses.

Sacha: Was an integral part of that Jurgen Klopp side and a real leader on and off the pitch. A Liverpool legend - and whoever takes over at Anfield needs to bring this guy back in some capacity because he understands the recent history of the club and commands respect.

David: My best memory was the late penalty winner against Leicester in 2019 which kept us on track for the title win but, overall, it's his commitment and professionalism.

Paul: Really a great professional. The game I remember is the one against Leicester when he scored that really late penalty giving us a big win.

Tommy: The day Milly was hooked and complained to Klopp about being replaced by Curtis Jones - only for Jones to then immediately assist Mo Salah scoring the opener at West Ham.

Ian: Milner will go down in Liverpool history as one of their best ever players. He was Mr Reliable, an ever present because he was rarely injured. I think he played in virtually every position and I can't recall him ever having a bad game. I wish him well in whatever he chooses to do next - maybe a Liverpool coach.

Brian: In the later Klopp years if you saw James coming off the bench later in the game you knew the game was over and the win was safe. Congratulations on an amazing career.

Josh Sexton
Fan writer

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James Milner had his best years at Liverpool because, quite simply, he made a bigger contribution to the club's biggest period of success than at any other club.

He was fantastic at Manchester City under two managers and while he was a Roberto Mancini man, he never felt quite like a Manuel Pellegrini man, before Pep Guardiola came in and gave them their most successful years.

At Liverpool, 323 of his 332 appearances coming under Jurgen Klopp says everything you need to know about whose man he truly was.

It's telling that this season, while the Reds have been accused of lacking leadership on the pitch, Milner's named has been mentioned alongside Jordan Henderson's, Adam Lallana's and more.

He's often damned with the feint praise of being merely a 'Mr. Consistent', utility man-style player, but he was somebody who embodied exactly what Klopp was trying to impart onto his footballers.

A large part of that was the relationship with the fans, and Milner felt that when he held the six fingers up in celebration to the fans seven years ago to this day when his team won the Champions League in Madrid for the sixth time.

One of Klopp's greatest quotes was when he spoke of respecting the club's history but not wearing it in their backpacks, and nobody had a grasp of that better in that moment than our Yorkshire-born midfielder.

He got it, right down to displaying his disdain towards Manchester United on an overheard part of a Gini Wijnaldum livestream as the players prepared to lift their 19th league title.

It's 20 now, but Milner was every part of setting the foundation for all the success we've been lucky enough to see over the past decade.

Records were broken aplenty by that side, and he specifically goes away with one of the biggest individual accolades for the consistency he showed, as the Premier League's record appearance maker.

It's a testament to his consistency and utility, but also to the standards he set that a few teams can even feel like he's one of their own.

Find more from Josh Sexton on outlets including The Anfield Wrap, external