Iraola ‘demands’ Liverpool job from agent with Slot to hear sack fate in ‘next 24 hours’ | OneFootball

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is set to hear whether he will be sacked at Anfield in the ‘next 24 hours’ as Andoni Iraola ‘demands’ the job, according to reports.

The Reds have been in poor form by their standards this season with Slot unable to follow up his title-winning campaign by challenging again this term.

Liverpool spent over £400m on new signings in the summer transfer window and are just about hanging on to fifth place in the Premier League in a poor season for the Reds.

There were rumours earlier on Thursday morning that Liverpool have now made the decision to sack Slot, with X account ChrisRoyceWords – with over 20k followers – revealing Fenway Sports Group are going in a different direction.

The account wrote: ‘EXCLUSIVE: The Liverpool board have decided NOT to continue with Arne Slot as manager for the 26/27 season.

‘Having previously opted to give Slot more time to turn things around, the decision to sack Slot was made over the weekend following conversations with senior players.’

They later added: ‘Slot is set to take change of Liverpool’s final game of the season on Sunday.

‘The Liverpool board are looking to replace Slot with a Head Coach rather than a manager, hence the lack of interest in Xabi Alonso.

‘No decision on Slot’s replacement has yet been made.’

Another report, this time from Foot Mercato, insists that the Liverpool board ‘is not ruling out ending Arne Slot’s tenure as manager’ with sporting director Richard Hughes ‘discreetly activated a lead he knows perfectly well’ in Iraola.

On Liverpool’s interest in Iraola, the website continues: ‘Open to a new, high-profile challenge and already in contact with Crystal Palace, he ticks all the boxes to take over at Anfield.

‘What so appeals to Liverpool is the modern yet discreet profile of the Spanish manager. Iraola has just led Bournemouth to an incredible 6th place in the Premier League by advocating an aggressive and resolutely attacking style of play.’

And perhaps the most explosive update from another account on X with over 700k followers, as they insisted that Iraola – who has agreed to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season – is demanding that his agents secure him a move to Liverpool in the summer.

The account wrote: ‘EXCLUSIVE BOMBSHELL! Andoni Iraola has DEMANDED his reps make him the NEXT Liverpool manager – he WANTS Anfield NOW! Arne Slot just faced his brutal season review… and in the NEXT 24 HOURS he will know the OUTCOME!’

Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant insists that Iraola would do a good job at Liverpool with “better players at his disposal”.

Pennant told talkSPORT: “What he’s done for Bournemouth was great.

“And I’m sure if he had some better players at his disposal, maybe he would get a good tune out of them.

“Because you watch Bournemouth, they went to Arsenal [and won 2-1], they didn’t look like they were scared. They were in their faces, made it difficult, and came away with the three points.

“And that’s what you need to be when you’re a big team.”