Liverpool is already revving the engines to change the coach, even though the season isn't over. According to Foot Mercato, the favourite to replace Arne Slot is Andoni Iraola - the Spaniard who built a European club from scratch at Bournemouth.

Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes is pushing for the name. It's not coincidence - Hughes is the man who brought Iraola to Bournemouth in the first place. And Iraola is now on the market: his contract runs out at the end of the season, and he's already been linked to Chelsea (who went with Xabi Alonso) and to Crystal Palace (who are trying to work out how to let Oliver Glasner go).

The question is whether his style fits what Liverpool wants to rebuild. Mohamed Salah has openly called for the return of "heavy metal" football - the style of Jürgen Klopp, under whom the club dominated. Iraola plays something similar: fast transitions, high pressing, lots of shots from counter-attacks.

The numbers favour him. Only Liverpool and Chelsea have had more shots from counter-attacks in the Premier League since Iraola has been managing Bournemouth. Nobody moves the ball faster up the pitch - on average 1.96 metres per second. Bournemouth is fifth for ball recoveries in the opposition half, third for recoveries that lead to a shot, fourth for recoveries that lead to a goal. Only three teams concede fewer opposition passes between defensive actions.

With that profile, and with the squad Liverpool has, Iraola could be the next version of Klopp - with all the risks that comparison carries. If Slot leaves in June, this is no longer speculation. It's the first choice.