Andoni Iraola is set to take over at Liverpool. (Image: Getty)
Andoni Iraola is the overwhelming favourite to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool, with the Reds poised for a significant shake-up. The Dutchman was dismissed on Saturday following a wretched second campaign at Anfield. The outgoing Bournemouth manager, 43, is the frontrunner to take charge at Anfield. Iraola’s high-octane, attack-minded approach is a world away from the possession-driven outfit that Slot moulded Liverpool into.
The Dutchman typically deployed a 4-3-3 formation, whereas Iraola favours a 4-2-3-1 system, or a 4-4-2 shape on occasion, with a heavy emphasis on pressing high up the pitch and recovering possession swiftly, a hallmark of Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpressing philosophy.
With Liverpool anticipated to bring in a number of new faces this summer, Express Sport examines the ideal starting XI Iraola would look to field when he begins his Liverpool tenure next season.
Uncertainty surrounding Alisson Becker’s future has been rife, but should he remain at Anfield, he will undoubtedly retain his status as Liverpool’s first-choice keeper under Iraola. The 33-year-old has been linked with a switch to Juventus but remains under contract with the Reds until the summer of 2027.
The Brazilian made just 26 league appearances this season due to injury, with Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman stepping in during his absence. However, when fully fit, he remains among the finest goalkeepers on the planet, and with Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson both departing, his leadership will prove absolutely vital.
Iraola has already been presented with a significant challenge before his appointment is even confirmed, following Ibrahima Konate’s exit. The Frenchman leaves a considerable void that could be addressed in the transfer market, but is widely expected to be filled by the incoming Jeremy Jacquet.
A £55million agreement to sign the highly-regarded Rennes star was reached in February, and he could well hit the ground running by featuring from the start in Iraola’s opening fixture. Should he do so, he will naturally be lining up alongside Virgil van Dijk.
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The Reds captain will be 35 by the time the new season kicks off, yet has reached remarkable levels of physical conditioning after becoming the oldest player in Premier League history to play every single minute of a campaign.
Van Dijk’s influence both on and off the pitch will be absolutely pivotal as the Reds look to rebuild and mount a serious title challenge. The Dutchman’s partnership with Andy Robertson was central to their triumphs, meaning he must continue to forge a strong understanding with Milos Kerkez at left-back.
Kerkez had a difficult start to his Liverpool career but gradually improved as the season progressed. Linking up once again with his former Cherries manager can only aid the Hungary international as he seeks to emulate Robertson’s success.
Uncertainty surrounds who will feature at right-back in Liverpool’s opening fixture of the season. Conor Bradley remains sidelined with a knee injury, while Jeremie Frimpong has proved better suited to an attacking position.
This could prompt Iraola to explore the transfer market, with Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries, who reportedly has a £22million release clause, representing a credible option. The 30-year-old was previously linked with a switch to Anfield under Slot and would offer defensive solidity in the position while possessing an eye for goal, having scored five times in 28 appearances this season.
Liverpool are set to welcome two new players at the start of the summer transfer window (Image: Getty Images)
According to reports in Italy, the Reds have floated the prospect of signing the Dutch international in a swap arrangement that would see Curtis Jones move in the opposite direction. The Liverpool midfielder is entering the final 12 months of his contract and was linked with a transfer to Milan in January.
Liverpool’s absence of control in midfield this season was substantial and contributed significantly to their dramatic decline in form. With Iraola favouring a two-man midfield, Alexis Mac Allister misses out as the Spaniard would prefer the physicality and work ethic that both Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai deliver.
Gravenberch was granted greater freedom to venture forward under Slot this season and, while he proved more productive in terms of goals and assists, his diminished defensive duties left Liverpool exposed at the back.
The Dutchman may be asked to reprise his controlling role from his first season under Slot, with Szoboszlai retaining his box-to-box berth where he is at his most effective. The 25-year-old openly voiced his frustration at being deployed at right-back on occasion this campaign, so a more settled position in the centre of midfield would undoubtedly suit him.
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Iraola’s four-pronged attacking setup functioned brilliantly at Bournemouth, with Liverpool supporters hoping he can replicate that success at Anfield – even without Mohamed Salah. Filling the void left by the Egyptian icon will prove the most formidable challenge facing the Spaniard this summer, with Yan Diomande emerging as the leading candidate at £87m.
Comfortable on either flank, the Ivorian is expected to be deployed on the right wing, while Rio Ngumoha pushes to pip Cody Gakpo to a starting berth on the opposite side. The 17-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with the Reds, featuring in 29 matches across all competitions and netting two goals.
Ngumoha’s electrifying pace and unpredictability in possession saw him pose a far greater threat out wide than his Dutch counterpart, who struggled considerably when thrust into the role of first-choice attacker.
Iraola predominantly deployed Eli Junior Kroupi as the attacking midfielder behind Evanilson, with Florian Wirtz potentially emerging as one of the greatest beneficiaries of the Spaniard’s setup. Comfortable operating on the left flank, the freedom afforded to Bournemouth’s attackers could see the German cement himself amongst the Premier League’s finest players.
The chance to exploit half-spaces, link up with team-mates in the final third and make late runs into the box could be precisely what Wirtz requires after a disappointing debut campaign at Anfield.
Hugo Ekitike might well have nailed down a starting berth in Iraola’s first XI given his relentless pressing from the front, but with his ACL injury set to sideline him for the opening half of the season, Alexander Isak steps up to fill the void.
The Swede endured a torrid first season on Merseyside, managing just four goals in 22 appearances. His first World Cup awaits this month as he looks to rediscover the form that persuaded the Reds to splash a British record fee of £125million last September.
The 26-year-old may not be the most accomplished press leader in the world, but his clinical finishing cannot be underestimated in a side that will be without the greatest goal-scoring winger in Premier League history.
Dream Liverpool starting XI
Alisson; Dumfries, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Diomande, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Isak