A journalist says an ex-Liverpool player is set to join Andoni Iraola’s coaching team.
Two former Liverpool stars might be interested in joining Andoni Iraola’s coaching team if he takes over the club, a well-known journalist says.
After the surprise sacking of Arne Slot on May 30, Iraola, who recently left Bournemouth, is the top candidate to become Liverpool’s new head coach. He did a great job with Bournemouth last season, leading them to their best-ever sixth place and earning a spot in the Europa League.
Liverpool is expected to start official talks with Iraola this week, though they are also looking at Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeneß and Lens boss Pierre Sage. Sage has also been linked with a job at Crystal Palace.
A few Liverpool players have already said they will leave, including Andrew Robertson and Mohamed Salah, who both played their last game for the club in May. Ibrahima Konaté’s departure is also confirmed.
Since Iraola and Liverpool’s technical director Richard Hughes have connections to Bournemouth, some Bournemouth players might move to Liverpool this summer. Players like Alex Scott, Rayan, Junior Kroupi, and Adrian Truffert enjoyed working under Iraola last season.
New signings are expected, and Iraola will bring his own backroom staff, as Arne Slot’s coaching team – Sipke Hulshoff, Ruben Peeters, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst – will likely leave with him.
This Is Anfield reports that Iraola will only be allowed to bring assistant Tommy Elphick and fitness coach Pablo de la Torre with him from Bournemouth. This means Liverpool can create a fresh coaching team, and journalist David Lynch thinks a former player might join.
“I expect someone with a Liverpool background will be part of the coaching staff,” Lynch said on the Anfield Index’s Media Matters podcast. “I spoke about this yesterday, and I think there will be a former Liverpool player on the team. We’ll see who it is. James Milner just retired! I don’t know if he wants to coach right away, but we’ll watch that.”
Milner, who left Liverpool for Brighton in 2023, retired from playing on June 1. He set a record with 658 Premier League appearances for several clubs including Liverpool.
Thiago Alcântara, another former Liverpool player who retired in 2024, has also been linked with a coaching role after leaving his assistant job at Barcelona earlier this month.
“Thiago makes a lot of sense,” Lynch added. “He’s Spanish, has a Liverpool connection, and played in the Premier League. Bringing in a Spanish coach fits well. He’s definitely someone to watch.”