Liverpool have dismissed Arne Slot as head coach, just one year after the Dutchman led the club to their 20th Premier League title. The decision follows a disappointing second campaign in which the Reds finished fifth — good enough for Champions League qualification, but with only 60 points, their lowest tally since 2015/16.

Bournemouth's recently-departed head coach Andoni Iraola is understood to be the frontrunner to fill the vacancy at Anfield, with formal talks between the two parties expected to begin shortly.

Liverpool's statement

In a club statement, Liverpool acknowledged the weight of the decision: "That this was a difficult decision for us to make as a club goes without saying." The club praised Slot's work ethic, diligence, and expertise, while maintaining that change had become necessary for the club to progress.

"We would like to take this opportunity to place on record our appreciation for Arne, who will always hold a special place in the history of this football club as the coach who delivered Liverpool's 20th league title."

The statement also noted that Slot embraced responsibility from the moment he arrived, guiding the club not only to a title but also through a deeply difficult period following the loss of Diogo. Liverpool extended their best wishes to Slot and confirmed that he and his family would always be welcome at Anfield.

Iraola the frontrunner

Liverpool are now set to open formal talks with Iraola, whose relationship with the club's director of football Richard Hughes is a significant factor in his candidacy. Hughes was instrumental in convincing Bournemouth to appoint Iraola from Rayo Vallecano in 2023, and the Spaniard has since delivered remarkable results on the south coast, guiding the club to a sixth-place finish and a place in the Europa League.

Iraola had been in discussions with Bayer Leverkusen and was also considered an option for Crystal Palace — who had won the Conference League — but those clubs always anticipated he would move on to a bigger project. Sky in Italy had also reported that Iraola remained open to the Liverpool post even before a vacancy formally existed.

A different style of play

Sky Sports News analyst Vinny O'Connor suggested the dismissal was driven by footballing philosophy rather than results alone. The belief inside the club, he explained, is that a different profile of head coach is needed — one who can produce the kind of vibrant, attacking football Liverpool supporters associate with the Jurgen Klopp era.

"The style of play is something that Liverpool fans would definitely relate to," O'Connor said of Iraola. "I think everyone's been impressed by what he's done at Bournemouth. Emotionally as well, I think he would get Liverpool fans, and Liverpool fans would get him."

O'Connor acknowledged the step up in scale — describing the move from Bournemouth to Liverpool as an even larger leap than Slot's transition from Feyenoord — but noted Iraola sat comfortably at the top of Liverpool's list as things stand, with the club conducting a thorough process in parallel.