Liverpool's IDEAL Arne Slot replacement has got Richard Hughes' approval

Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca and Ruben Amorim. Oliver Glasner, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino.

That is just a flavour of the head coaches set to be available to interested clubs in summer 2026 as things stand.

And don’t rule out the possibility of even MORE top coaches being on the market by the time the 2025/26 season - as well as the upcoming FIFA World Cup - finishes.

If and when Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes decides to move on from Arne Slot he will not be short of options.

The Dutchman - a Premier League winner in 2025 at the first time of asking - has been experiencing a torrid second season. The Reds are well off the pace in the top flight and look far from assured in their style of play.

Furthermore the 47-year-old has really struggled to integrate the number of new signings given to him by Hughes in last summer’s transfer window.

He is only under contract until 2027 - meaning the Anfield club will only have to pay a limited amount in compensation if Slot leaves with a year left on his deal.

Richard Hughes appointed Andoni Iraola

And if Hughes is minded to move on from Slot then he would do well to go back in for a manager he’s already appointed once before.

The former Bournemouth technical director’s decision to remove Gary O’Neil as head coach and replace him with Andoni Iraola was met with widespread outcry back in 2023 - not least when he got off to an awful start.

But the exec knew what he wanted and he knew the kind of coach to deliver it.

“Then sporting director Richard Hughes' decision to replace the popular O'Neil with the little known Iraola was a brave call - but the Spaniard has repaid the now Liverpool executive's faith,” BBC Sport's Sami Mokbel writes.

Cherries owner Bill Foley admits freely that Hughes twisted his arm to appoint the Spaniard - who left Rayo Vallecano having built his reputation as an emerging coach in La Liga.

Since then Iraola has added to his legacy - leading the South Coast side to their highest-ever league finish.

He has had to work under some pretty strict conditions at the Vitality Stadium too with Bournemouth’s transfer policy denying him the services of key players long-term.

Dominic Solanke, Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Antoine Semenyo are just some of the top names sold by Bournemouth during Iraola’s time in charge.

Iraola looks set to leave Bournemouth

There are now signs that his time at Dean Court could be coming to an end.

Bournemouth began contract negotiations with the former Athletic Club right-back last year but right now he looks set to depart at the end of the current season when his current deal expires.

“The players' revolving door at the Vitality Stadium has spun a little too frequently for Iraola's liking of late,” writes Mokbel.

Bournemouth’s results have been suffering of late - their recent win against Tottenham was their first since October.

The writing may well be on the wall for this period of Bournemouth’s history and having overseen a period of sustained competitiveness Iraola will feel entitled to move on to bigger and better things.

Iraola destined for bigger club

“There will be those who say Iraola has earned the right to take charge of a traditionally bigger club than Palace,” says Mokbel.

Hughes has not been shy in using his Bournemouth connections for Liverpool purposes since his appointment as sporting director in 2024.

Not only has he signed Kerkez but Liverpool have also been involved in the transfer fights for Semenyo and Huijsen - albeit to no avail.

If there are plans afoot to replace Slot then he could do a lot worse than go for a coach he has already endorsed. Renowned for his team’s high press and aggressive transitions Iraola could tick many boxes for Liverpool’s recruiters.

Don’t forget his ability to get a tune out of players already on the books and integrate new signings. Slot has got plenty to worry about as this season heads to an unsatisfying conclusion.

And soon the man to come into replace him could be one that Richard Hughes knows very well indeed.

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