Andoni Iraola got his one big request during the Liverpool contract talks.
Andoni Iraola, soon to be Liverpool’s new head coach, made an interesting request during his contract talks with the club.
After Arne Slot was unexpectedly let go, Iraola quickly became the favorite to take over at Anfield. He impressed by leading Bournemouth to their best-ever sixth-place finish in the 2025/26 season, which earned them a spot in the Europa League. Before that, he also guided Bournemouth to 12th and 9th place finishes in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons.
Liverpool hasn’t officially announced Iraola yet, but it’s widely reported that they’ve reached a verbal agreement. His assistants, Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, are also expected to join him at Liverpool. Iraola wants some of his trusted staff to come along too, like fitness coach Pablo de la Torre and analyst Tom Webber.
He has a good relationship with Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, since they worked together at Bournemouth. Despite that, Iraola made a unique request during negotiations: he asked for a two-year contract. He prefers shorter deals and Liverpool agreed. He’s done similar contracts at his previous clubs, including AEK Larnaca, Mirandés, Rayo Vallecano, and Bournemouth.
In a 2025 interview with BBC Radio Solent, Iraola explained why he likes short contracts. He said, “Just signing a contract to get the money doesn’t make me happy. You have to earn the trust every season. Sometimes clubs stay happy with your work even if results aren’t perfect, and sometimes they don’t. So in football, if either side isn’t happy, things usually end early. Each year should be a chance to renew confidence from both sides.”
At Bournemouth, Iraola recorded 41 wins, 48 draws, and 35 losses over 114 Premier League games. His exciting attacking style earned praise from fans and experts, including Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. On TNT Sports, Gerrard said, “I think he’s done a great job at Bournemouth. His style fits Liverpool well. But let’s be honest, Liverpool is a job many top coaches want.”