Favourite for Bayer Leverkusen job revealed as Andoni Iraola closes in on Liverpool

Bayer Leverkusen have held talks with both Oliver Glasner and Andoni Iraola in recent days as they close in on appointing their next manager, TEAMtalk understands, though the latter is now poised to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool.

Leverkusen are preparing for a new era after a disappointing campaign which saw them miss out on Champions League qualification and fall short of mounting a serious Bundesliga title challenge.

The club dismissed former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag in November, while his successor Kasper Hjulmand is also set to move on as Bayer look to reset ahead of next season.

Sources have told TEAMtalk that Leverkusen have been assessing a number of candidates, but their search has now narrowed considerably, with Glasner emerging as the leading contender after Iraola entered talks for the Liverpool job.

Glasner is available after leaving Crystal Palace following a hugely successful spell in South London.

The Austrian guided Palace to Conference League glory and is now weighing up his next move, with a return to the Bundesliga understood to be an option that strongly appeals to him.

Having previously enjoyed successful spells with Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, Glasner is well aware of what is required in German football, and discussions with Leverkusen have taken place in recent days.

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Iraola had been firmly in contention before opting to prioritise a Premier League stay with Liverpool. The highly-rated Basque coach has already seen other high-profile possibilities fail to materialise.

The former Bournemouth boss missed out on the Chelsea job to Xabi Alonso, while he is understood to have cooled talks with AC Milan.

TEAMtalk can reveal that Crystal Palace are also playing a significant role in the managerial merry-go-round.

The Eagles had identified Iraola as a leading candidate to replace Glasner and have put an offer on the table for the Spaniard, though they look set to be rejected in favour of Liverpool.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, are now edging towards a final decision and are expected to make their choice shortly.

Plus, we can reveal two key reasons why Liverpool decided to sack Slot.