Liverpool are actively seeking a new manager after parting ways with Arne Slot, following a fifth-place finish in the Premier League and a disappointing second season. While Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth remains the primary target, the club is also monitoring Sebastian Hoeness, who has earned a stellar reputation in Germany for his work at Stuttgart.
Slot's Dismissal and Search for Successor
Slot was surprisingly dismissed on Saturday morning after Liverpool's dramatic collapse in form. The team lost 19 matches across all competitions and failed to secure any silverware, a stark contrast to their title-winning debut campaign under the Dutchman. This prompted sporting directors Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards to make the brutal decision to end his tenure.
Iraola, who guided Bournemouth to a sixth-place finish and Europa League qualification, is the top target. However, other candidates include Stuttgart's Sebastian Hoeness and Lens manager Pierre Sage.
Sebastian Hoeness: A Rising Star
Hoeness, 44, joined Stuttgart in 2023 after stints at Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich's reserve team. He has transformed the club from Bundesliga bottom-dwellers to Champions League qualifiers, finishing fourth this season and reaching the DFB-Pokal final, where they lost to Bayern Munich. He previously won the DFB-Pokal in 2025, Stuttgart's first major trophy in nearly two decades.
Striker Ermedin Demirovic praised Hoeness, saying: "I don't see anyone who is better than him or under whom I would prefer to train. We have a great coach and a great coaching team who push the players and want to help them develop individually." Demirovic added: "We have the fire we need and at the same time the relaxed attitude to play successful football."
Hoeness has won 83 of his 152 matches in charge and has two years left on his contract. Reflecting on qualifying for the Champions League, he said: "We've achieved our big goal and qualified for the Champions League. That's something special. I'd like to congratulate the team and the whole club: we've had a very consistent Bundesliga campaign."
Iraola Remains the Focus
Despite Hoeness's credentials, Liverpool's current focus is on Iraola. The Spaniard is available after leaving Bournemouth and has attracted interest from Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen. However, his prior working relationship with Hughes is expected to sway the decision in Liverpool's favour, with the 43-year-old likely to take over at Anfield.
It remains to be seen whether Hoeness will be seriously considered in Liverpool's recruitment process, but his achievements in Germany have certainly caught the eye of the club's hierarchy.
