Liverpool shocked! Slot's position shaken as Alonso ignored... Secret talks with 'Bournemouth storm' Andoni Iraola

*This content was translated by AI.

This is shocking news. It appears that England's Liverpool, while considering the dismissal of manager Arne Slot (48), has turned its back on Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso (45).

The British The Sun reported on the 22nd (Korean time) that "Liverpool has reportedly selected Bournemouth (England) manager Andoni Iraola as a candidate to replace Arne Slot and has been gauging his intentions," adding that "Liverpool has entered into talks with Iraola."

Manager Slot's position is rapidly becoming unstable. Although Liverpool topped the league last season, it failed to defend the title this season. Furthermore, it is now in a situation where securing a spot in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) cannot be guaranteed.

Currently, Liverpool sits fifth in the league with 17 wins, 8 draws, and 12 losses (59 points). The gap with sixth-place Bournemouth (56 points) is three points. While Liverpool leads in goal difference with +10 compared to Bournemouth's +4, making an immediate reversal of positions unlikely, there remains a possibility that in the worst-case scenario, qualification for the "stage of stars" could be lost.

In particular, despite signing high-profile players such as Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Jeremy Frimpong last summer, manager Slot failed to deliver results that met expectations. Consequently, he has been plagued by dismissal rumors throughout the season. This criticism intensified after a 2-4 defeat to Aston Villa in the 37th round.

Until now, Liverpool has been consistently linked with manager Xabi Alonso, who played at Anfield during his playing days. However, despite the rumors, there has been no clear progress in negotiations between Liverpool and manager Alonso. Ultimately, manager Alonso decided to take charge of Chelsea, another Premier League club, rather than Liverpool. With manager Alonso's destination set, expectations grew that manager Slot would continue to lead Liverpool next season.

However, Liverpool appears to be preparing for a managerial change. Andoni Iraola has emerged as a strong candidate for the next manager.

According to reports, Liverpool's sports director Richard Hughes is reportedly keen on appointing manager Iraola. With manager Iraola having decided to leave Bournemouth at the end of this season, director Hughes sees this as a prime opportunity to bring him in.

The media explained that "Liverpool highly evaluates manager Iraola's playing style. Despite the departure of many key players, he left a deep impression with his achievement of leading Bournemouth to European competition for the first time in the club's history."

However, Liverpool is not the only team interested in manager Iraola. Clubs within England, including Crystal Palace, as well as overseas clubs, are reportedly showing interest in manager Iraola. Even if Liverpool enters the race for his signature, it appears difficult to avoid fierce competition.

Ultimately, the issue Liverpool must address first is manager Slot's future. If manager Slot's future is not resolved quickly, there is a possibility that manager Iraola may choose another option.

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*This content was translated by AI.