Liverpool's New Era: Andoni Iraola Targets Alex Scott

Andoni Iraola has barely had time to find his office at Anfield, but he already knows who he wants to build around.

The new Liverpool manager, handed a two-year deal after Arne Slot’s dismissal last week, has reportedly made Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott his priority target as he begins reshaping a squad that has lost both direction and star power.

Fifth place in the Premier League and an empty trophy cabinet cost Slot his job. Now the clear-out has begun. Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate are all heading for the exit at the end of the season, ripping out three pillars of Liverpool’s recent era in one go. Iraola cannot afford a slow start in the market.

Iraola turns to a familiar face

According to Sports Boom, Iraola has set his sights on Scott as the first signing of his Anfield tenure. The 22-year-old has been a revelation at Bournemouth, where his performances have pushed his reputation into the elite bracket and drawn admiring glances from several top clubs.

Scott has been described as “unbelievable” this season, and that is not an exaggeration in Bournemouth circles. He has grown into a central figure at the Vitality Stadium, dictating play, pressing with intelligence, and showing the kind of technical security that catches the eye of the game’s biggest sides.

Bournemouth are desperate to keep him. They are preparing a new contract that reflects his status as a key player and the cornerstone of their project. The problem for them is timing. Scott is understood to be open to a new challenge, and the longer talks drag on, the less likely a fresh deal on the south coast appears.

Liverpool are watching that situation closely. This is the moment to test Bournemouth’s resolve.

The numbers behind the move

Scott is thought to be valued at up to £60 million by Bournemouth. Liverpool, according to reporter Jamie Dickenson, are exploring the possibility of a deal closer to £40 million.

That gap will define how quickly this story moves. Bournemouth know they have a prized asset entering his prime years. Liverpool know they cannot afford to overspend in a window where multiple positions need attention after high-profile departures.

But this is not a vanity signing. It is a structural one.

A midfield that needs a new heartbeat

Liverpool’s midfield never truly settled last season. On paper, the options looked strong: Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai. On the pitch, they were too often overrun, too easy to play through, too disjointed between defence and attack.

Jones, who has one year left on his contract, has been heavily linked with a move away this summer. If he goes, the hole in Liverpool’s midfield will not just be about numbers. It will be about energy, balance, and the ability to knit Iraola’s aggressive style together.

That is where Scott fits. He offers legs, quality on the ball, and the kind of versatility that allows a coach to tweak shape without losing intensity. He can drop deep to help build play, press high to suffocate opponents, and carry the ball through midfield when games become stretched.

For Iraola, who demands structure off the ball and bravery on it, that profile is gold.

The first piece of the new Liverpool

There is another layer to this pursuit. Scott already understands Iraola’s methods and demands from their time together at Bournemouth. That familiarity would accelerate the adaptation process inside a dressing room about to experience a significant tactical shift.

If Liverpool can land him at the right price, this would be more than a headline-grabbing first signing. It would be a statement of intent: younger, hungrier, tactically aligned with the manager, and ready to grow with a new-look side rather than merely decorate it.

Liverpool need a new core. Iraola has chosen his first building block. The only question now is whether the club will pay what it takes to bring Alex Scott to Anfield and let this new era truly begin.