Why are Liverpool interested in Andoni Iraola? The numbers behind the leading candidate to succeed Arne Slot
Andoni Iraola has emerged as the leading candidate for the vacant Liverpool head coach position, following his departure from Bournemouth.
The Spanish manager, who has also held discussions with Crystal Palace, Bayer Leverkusen, and AC Milan, is now Liverpool’s primary target to succeed the recently-sacked Arne Slot, with The Independent understanding talks are set to be opened.
This move would see him reunite with sporting director Richard Hughes, who initially appointed Iraola during his tenure at the Vitality Stadium.
Here, the Press Association looks at the numbers behind his career that explain why Liverpool are so keen on the Spaniard:
- Iraola leaves Bournemouth on a 19-match unbeaten run and having secured Europa League football, the club’s first ever European qualification.
- The Cherries lost only seven league games all season on their way to sixth place – only title contenders Arsenal and Manchester City suffered fewer defeats. Liverpool lost 12 games despite finishing one place ahead of Bournemouth.
- Across his three seasons in charge, Iraola’s side won 47 of their 127 games (37 per cent), with 40 draws and 40 losses. They scored 196 goals and conceded 184, averaging 1.54 goals for and 1.45 against.
- Iraola’s sides finished 12th, ninth and sixth in the top flight, equalling and then surpassing their best Premier League finishes. The Cherries previously finished ninth in 2016-17 and 12th the following year, both under Eddie Howe.
- Bournemouth’s success has come despite frequently selling their best performers. Last season alone, three of Iraola’s first-choice back four departed in pre-season with the club receiving a combined £144.5m in reported fees for Milos Kerkez – with whom Iraola could be reunited at Anfield – Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi. Antoine Semenyo then joined Manchester City in January.
- Semenyo was the club’s top scorer across Iraola’s reign with 31 goals in all competitions. They had a different top scorer in each of his three seasons in charge as Dominic Solanke also moved on and teenager Junior Kroupi emerged this season to take on the burden from Semenyo and Justin Kluivert.
- Iraola’s previous managerial roles came with AEK Larnaca, where he won the 2018 Cypriot Super Cup, Mirandes in the Spanish second tier, and then Rayo Vallecano where he won promotion to LaLiga before finishing 12th and 11th in the following two seasons. Across all four clubs he has a 38.4 per cent win rate.
