Iraola’s next Junior Kroupi has agreed to sign for Liverpool

Professional football has become a cut-throat industry in recent seasons, and Liverpool have shown how ruthless they can be after Arne Slot was sacked.

Twelve months ago, the Dutchman won the Premier League title at the first attempt, but now he is out of a job and the Reds are looking for a new manager.

The fifth-place finish after spending more than £450m on new additions was deemed unacceptable by the management – leading to a change of manager.

His departure marks the end of his time at Anfield as the 47-year-old follows Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson in departures at the end of the disastrous 2025/26 campaign.

The dismissal will undoubtedly divide opinion among fans. However, the move now provides the perfect opportunity for the next manager to make his stamp on the talented squad.

Liverpool are closing in on Iraola and want to leave for the £100m star

Even though Slot’s dismissal was confirmed on Saturday afternoon, Liverpool’s management wasted no time in replacing him at Anfield.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola appears to be the man to take over on Merseyside after holding talks with the Reds over the past few days.

The Spaniard is one of the managers most wanted this summer after leaving the Cherries – after which he saw interest from Crystal Palace, Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.

Michael Edwards is said to be the frontrunner to secure the 43-year-old’s services – unsurprisingly, given the pair’s time together at Vitality.

Because of this, it would not be surprising to see the Reds renew their interest in Cherries’ Eli Kroupi Junior during next summer’s transfer window.

The French player has appeared on Liverpool’s list for sale after scoring 13 league goals during his first campaign in the Premier League.

Big money will be needed to secure his signature, with a £100m price tag slapped on the 19-year-old’s head – not to mention interest from Chelsea and Arsenal.

Liverpool already have their own Kroupi

The writing has been on the wall for the Slot at Anfield for some time, but Salah’s comments about the striker appear to have swayed the board to cut ties with the 47-year-old.

The Egyptian called for a return to “hard attacking” football at Anfield and the need to once again become a team that “fear opponents and win trophies.”

Iraola’s Bournemouth side showed these qualities in abundance throughout 2025/26, after which they claimed victory against the likes of Arsenal and Slott’s Liverpool.

Kroupi has been part of their success in recent months and exceeded all expectations following his £10m switch from French side Lorient last summer.

The youngster has been clinical in front of goal this term. He netted 13 of his goals in the league with just 22 shots – a record that saw him score on 59% of his attempts.

Iraola will be keen on a deal to see the France star follow in his footsteps at Anfield, but the £100m asking price could be a stumbling block to any transfer.

Clever business by Liverpool officials has already provided the new boss with new players, and defender Jeremy Jacquet has just one more star to arrive on July 1.

He may operate in a different role to team-mate Kroupi, but could provide a similar immediate impact in the Premier League to Iraola in any deal to replace Slot.

The 20-year-old has agreed a £60m move to Merseyside – a move similar to the Bournemouth star leaving his youth in France to develop his career.

Ibrahima Konate’s pending move to Anfield will increase the youngster’s chances of becoming a regular starter next season – a job he is undoubtedly capable of.

Jacquet has enjoyed a rapid rise for his countrymen, having played 21 games this season before suffering a shoulder injury – but is set to return to action ahead of pre-season.

Limited action has not prevented the youngster from garnering much praise in the name as one French coach has described him as “one of the best in the world.”

Such hype is undoubtedly deserved, as the Frenchman has won 76% of his aerial battles and 68% of his ground battles this season – both placing him in the top 10% of all European defenders. According to French journalist Julien Laurens, he is “a special talent”.

Showing such quality in the Premier League compared to Ligue 1 will be a huge challenge for Jacquet, but who better to facilitate such a quest than Iraola?

The Spaniard has shown that he can help young French talents to adapt, as seen with Kroupi this term, with fans hoping he can work his magic again at Anfield.

It will take time for Iraola and Jacquet to adapt on Merseyside, but the aforementioned duo could be instrumental in any success achieved at Anfield in the coming years.