Andoni Iraola was appointed Liverpool’s new manager on Thursday evening, and the move has already put Alisson Becker’s future under fresh pressure. Liverpool confirmed the arrival on its social media channels as Iraola replaced Arne Slot after leaving Bournemouth at the end of his contract.
For Liverpool, the timing matters because the summer reshaping of the squad is already under way. Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah are already confirmed departees this summer, while another report has put as many as eight players in danger of exit under Iraola, including Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Joe Gomez, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa.
Iraola did not hide his excitement when he was announced. “Really excited, really excited,” he said, adding: “Liverpool is Liverpool.” He also spoke about the scale of the job, saying the club, its supporters and the chance to coach top-level players and fight for titles made the opportunity hard to turn down. “I think it cannot be more attractive than this,” he said. “It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start.”
That new start comes with an immediate question over Alisson. Rumours have linked the goalkeeper with Juventus, but Gazzetta Dello Sport reported that Iraola has no intention of letting him go. The same report said Alisson will try again to contact Liverpool’s management in the coming hours to secure permission to leave, even as Juventus are looking at Emiliano Martinez and Guglielmo Vicario as alternatives.
There is also a wider selection problem if Liverpool decide to stand firm. Giorgi Mamardashvili could leave if Alisson definitely stays, which would leave the club balancing one goalkeeper’s exit against another’s future before next season begins. What happens in the coming hours may tell Liverpool whether Iraola’s first major call is to keep his No. 1 in place or open the door to another move.
