Liverpool are expected to announce Andoni Iraola as their new manager later this week.
The Reds wasted little time replacing Arne Slot in the dugout, with reports already emerging that the Spaniard is set to sign a two-year contract with the Merseyside outfit.
It is a pretty short contract for a manager, with Slot previously penning a three-year deal when he came in for Jurgen Klopp. But the decision to agree to such short terms was not actually down to Liverpool, but Iraola himself.
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Andoni Iraola asked for short Liverpool contract
Signing a manager to a short contract may be a sensible move for Liverpool at this stage.
The Reds are in the midst of a transition period that has seen their squad massively overhauled in the last 12 months or so.
This summer alone, Liverpool are losing Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, essentially bringing an end to the Jurgen Klopp era.
A new manager and the transfer chiefs are now tasked with trying to fill the gaps in a new-look squad that still hasn’t really clicked despite the huge spending this time last year.
Giving Iraola a two-year deal is exactly what Liverpool should be doing, even if it was actually his idea, as Ben Jacobs explained on X/Twitter: “The short-term contract is at Andoni Iraola’s insistence. It is how the Spaniard operates with all clubs.”
In the worst-case scenario, it will reduce the payout required should things start very badly in 2026/27 and a quick change needs to be made.
But even if Iraola does start well and maybe even wins a trophy or two next term, Liverpool can still easily extend that deal by another year or so.
Some may have seen it as a lack of faith in the manager from FSG, but those fears should now be alleviated, given it was the ex-Bournemouth coach who pitched the contract length.
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