Liverpool are moving at breakneck speed to turn the page on a disappointing 2025/26 campaign. The club is expected to officially announce the appointment of Andoni Iraola as their new head coach within hours, marking the end of Arne Slot’s brief tenure at Anfield.
Slot was relieved of his duties on Saturday following a campaign in which the Reds failed to defend their Premier League title and scraped into the Champions League. With the season now over, Liverpool have wasted little time in identifying and securing their top target. According to well-placed sources, Iraola has given the club a firm commitment and is set to sign a two-year contract.
Backroom Revolution Underway
The arrival of the former Bournemouth manager will trigger significant changes both on and off the pitch. Two key members of Slot’s coaching staff — Sipke Hulshoff and Giovanni van Bronckhorst — are set to follow the Dutchman out of the exit door as soon as Iraola’s appointment is confirmed, according to the Liverpool Echo.
This comes shortly after fitness coach Ruben Peeters, Slot’s first backroom appointment upon his arrival at Liverpool, announced his departure. In an emotional LinkedIn post, Peeters reflected on “two unforgettable seasons,” highlighting the Premier League triumph as the pinnacle of his time at the club.
With the old guard making way, Iraola is preparing a major backroom reshuffle. The incoming head coach is expected to bring several trusted collaborators from his time at Bournemouth, creating a fresh coaching structure tailored to his methods.
The Five New Arrivals
Reports indicate that up to five new names will join the Anfield backroom staff alongside Iraola:
Tommy Elphick, Iraola’s assistant at Bournemouth and a lifelong Liverpool supporter, is expected to take on a prominent role.Pablo de la Torre, Shaun Cooper, and Tom Webber are also set to follow Iraola to Merseyside.
In addition, former Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara is strongly linked with a return to the club in a coaching capacity. Journalist David Lynch, speaking on Anfield Index, suggested Thiago makes “an awful lot of sense” as a bridge between the squad and the new regime, noting that sources have confirmed a figure with a strong Liverpool connection will be integrated into the staff.
While speculation has linked club legend Steven Gerrard with a potential return, Lynch believes Thiago is the more probable appointment at this stage.
A Calculated Reset
The scale and speed of these changes reflect Liverpool’s determination to avoid a prolonged transitional period. By bringing in a young, tactically astute manager in Iraola and surrounding him with a blend of familiar collaborators and Liverpool DNA, the club’s hierarchy is clearly aiming for both immediate stability and long-term cohesion.
Iraola’s reputation for organised, high-intensity football and his success in overachieving with limited resources at Bournemouth made him an attractive choice. His willingness to commit quickly suggests mutual confidence in the project ahead.
As the club prepares to unveil its new leader, the focus now shifts to how swiftly this reshaped backroom team can implement their vision. For Liverpool supporters, the message is clear: the post-Slot era has already begun.