Liverpool confirm appointment of Andoni Iraola as the club's head coach

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The 43-year-old is understood to have signed a two-year contract following his departure from Bournemouth at the end of the season.

Liverpool considered other candidates but Iraola emerged as the primary target after the surprise sacking of Arne Slot last weekend.

The club moved swiftly to tie up a deal for the Spaniard, who had already spoken to Crystal Palace, Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.

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After sacking Slot, Liverpool expressed a desire to move back towards attacking, high-energy football which had been absent in the Dutchman’s second season.

Irola told the club's website: "Really excited, really excited. Because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world.

"But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club.

"You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.

"But obviously the atmosphere, the supporters, the club, the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance to fight for titles.

"I think it cannot be more attractive than this. It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start."

The Basque flew into Merseyside on a private jet from San Sebastian in his homeland, visiting the club’s AXA training complex and Anfield before returning on the same plane late in the afternoon.

It is believed he wants to bring assistants Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, analyst Tom Webber and fitness coach Pablo de la Torre with him to the club, and Liverpool are currently exploring options regarding the make-up of the backroom team.

The club are understood to have followed Iraola’s career for more than a decade, having once tried to sign him as a player, and have watched his coaching career develop with a degree of admiration.

The job he did at Bournemouth, without having huge resources available, in developing players was also noted as that remains a core principle for Liverpool despite their unprecedented £450million spending spree last summer.

He is also seen as providing continuity and his intense, pressing style is more akin to that of Jurgen Klopp’s while also bringing fresh ideas.