Just days after leaving AFC Bournemouth following the final-day 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, Andoni Iraola is now odds-on favourite to become Liverpool’s next manager.
According to Sky Bet Iraola has been cut to 1/20, with bookmakers viewing his appointment at Anfield as close to a done deal.
For Bournemouth supporters, it would be another huge moment in what has already been an unforgettable season.
Iraola leaves the Cherries after guiding the club to a remarkable sixth-place Premier League finish and Europa League qualification — a campaign many fans are calling the greatest in the club’s history.
More than the results, it was the football that made Bournemouth fans fall in love with his side.
High pressing. Fast transitions. Front-foot attacking football. Never sitting back. Never afraid.
Exactly the sort of football many Liverpool fans feel has been missing — and why so many on Merseyside are already excited by the possibility of him taking over at Anfield.
Most Bournemouth fans would likely wish Iraola success if he gets the job.
After what he achieved on the south coast, there would be huge pride in seeing him move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
There is, though, another side to the decision beyond football.
If Iraola does swap Bournemouth for Liverpool, he would also be leaving behind life on the south coast — and that is no small thing.
Bournemouth offers a lifestyle few Premier League clubs can match. Beaches, coastline, sea views, warmer weather and a more relaxed pace of life have all become part of everyday life for Iraola and his family since arriving from Spain.
Moving to the North West would be a very different experience.
While Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in world football with a huge fanbase, history and expectation, it is a very different setting to Bournemouth. Swapping beach walks and the Dorset coastline for city life in the North West would be a significant lifestyle change.
For a manager from Spain, who may naturally feel more at home with Bournemouth’s coastal climate and outdoor way of life, it would likely bring an even bigger cultural adjustment.
Professionally, the Liverpool opportunity may simply have been too big to ignore.
But now that he has left Bournemouth, it’s clear he leaves behind not just a football club — but a lifestyle on the south coast that will be difficult to replace.
Could Iraola help unlock the best of Kerkez again at Liverpool?
One fascinating subplot if Andoni Iraola does land the Liverpool job is what it could mean for Milos Kerkez.
Kerkez already made the move from Bournemouth to Liverpool last summer in a £40 million transfer after flourishing under Iraola on the south coast.
His first season at Anfield has shown plenty of promise, particularly going forward, but it has also been mixed at times. Liverpool fans remain divided after a campaign of ups and downs, with questions raised around defensive consistency during a season where the Reds have looked vulnerable at the back.
There is little doubt about Kerkez’s talent.
Bournemouth fans saw exactly what he can do under Iraola — relentless energy, fearless attacking runs and the ability to completely change a game from left-back.
Which raises an intriguing question:
Could a reunion with Iraola help bring the best out of him again at Liverpool?
Few managers know Kerkez’s game better.
Under Iraola at Bournemouth, he looked confident, aggressive and perfectly suited to the system. If the Spaniard takes charge at Anfield, many will wonder whether working together again could be exactly what Kerkez needs to take the next step in his Liverpool career.
Could Iraola return for Bournemouth players?
Managers often look to bring trusted players with them — and Iraola knows this Cherries squad better than anyone.
Alex Scott — a player whose energy, pressing and technical quality looks perfectly suited to Iraola’s style.
Could Liverpool make a move there?
What about Eli Junior Kroupi — one of Bournemouth’s most exciting young talents?
And fans will also be watching the progress of Rayan closely. The 19-year-old Brazilian, signed from CR Vasco da Gama, is seen as a major talent for the future. If Iraola lands at Liverpool, could he keep tabs on Rayan’s development with a view to a future move?
It may be early for transfer talk…
…but with Iraola now 1/20 favourite for Anfield, Bournemouth supporters may already be wondering whether this summer could bring more than just a change in the dugout.
Liverpool fans – what do you think?
Is Andoni Iraola the right man for Liverpool?
And if he gets the job… should he bring Alex Scott, Kroupi or Rayan with him?
