Liverpool have been told to look at Andoni Iraola as a potential managerial option this summer if uncertainty surrounding Arne Slot continues to grow.
Pressure has intensified on Slot following a difficult start to Liverpool’s end-of-season run-in, following a heavy 4-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick during the match, handing Liverpool their heaviest defeat in the competition for 80 years. Haaland only had three touches in the Liverpool penalty area all game. The result was compounded by a missed penalty from Mohamed Salah, who is set to leave the club at the end of the season.
Attention now turns to a challenging Champions League quarter-final first leg away to holders Paris Saint-Germain, a fixture that could prove decisive in shaping the narrative around Slot’s future.
Iraola emerges as potential option if Liverpool make change
Speculation over Slot’s future was discussed by talkSPORT presenters, with Jim Proudfoot suggesting that Liverpool could consider alternatives if results do not improve.
“There will definitely be a decision to be made,” Proudfoot said. “I reckon, with no inside track, that they will keep faith with him, because he’s got enough in the bank over what happened over the course of last season, that they would stick with him for the rest of this season.
??? Andoni Iraola: “My future? I will make a decision on the contract here at Bournemouth sooner than later”. ? pic.twitter.com/BXifYXPkCA
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 13, 2026
“All that would matter is that they finish in the top five to make sure that they were playing Champions League football again next season.
“I think some of the people that you could imagine being his successor are already available. Some of those aren’t, Andoni Iraola for instance.
“Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s technical director, is a massive admirer. Brought him in at Bournemouth, he’s done nothing at Bournemouth that would mean his stock has dropped in any way.
“He’s out of contract in the summer, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was one that they wanted to speak to, along with the likes of Xabi Alonso and everybody else.”
Proudfoot added further uncertainty over Slot’s long-term position.
“So, I would think that there’s got to be a chance that he [Slot] will still be in (the job) in the summer, but will he still be there at the start of next season?
“I think that all depends on what happens from here on in.”
Champions League results may shape Liverpool’s long-term direction
It has been nearly a year since Liverpool last celebrated Premier League success, but the current campaign has proven increasingly challenging.
With Paris Saint-Germain widely viewed as the favourites heading into their European clash, Liverpool may soon be forced to shift focus toward securing Champions League qualification as their primary objective.
We'll face PSG in the next round of the @ChampionsLeague ? pic.twitter.com/2pFwuM5rNf
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 18, 2026
Speculation regarding a possible managerial change has persisted throughout the season, with Xabi Alonso frequently mentioned as a leading candidate should Liverpool decide to make a switch.
For now, however, Slot’s future appears closely tied to results in the weeks ahead, with upcoming fixtures likely to determine whether Liverpool maintain faith in their current manager or begin exploring alternative options.
