Sunderland thunder into Andoni Iraola race as Le Bris could shockingly be sacked amid high-ranking ‘concerns’ | OneFootball

Regis Le Bris’s position at Sunderland may not be as secure as it appears, with TEAMtalk able to confirm that the club’s hierarchy have begun carrying out due diligence on potential replacements ahead of the summer, with Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola a top target.

The Black Cats’ ownership group, led by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori, backed the project heavily last summer, investing close to £200million alongside highly-rated director of football Florent Ghisolfi.

That spending helped Sunderland make a strong impression on their return, with Le Bris earning praise for guiding the club into a competitive position and even flirting with European qualification as the season reaches its climax.

However, a noticeable dip in form since the turn of the year has raised concerns internally. While Sunderland are currently 11th in the table and could still finish in the European places with a strong end to the season, their downturn in results, which could yet lead to a lower-half finish in a bunched-up Premier League table, has left some figures within the club frustrated, given the scale of investment.

Sources indicate that while Le Bris retains support in certain quarters, there is a growing feeling that he may have taken the team as far as he can in his current role.

That has opened the door to discussions over whether a higher-profile appointment could accelerate the club’s progression.

TEAMtalk can reveal that Bournemouth boss Iraola is one of the names to have emerged on Sunderland’s radar.

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Sunderland, Chelsea, Crystal Palace in Andoni Iraola race

Iraola, the highly-regarded Basque coach, is set to leave Bournemouth this summer and is attracting interest from across Europe, making him a realistic and intriguing option for Sunderland as they weigh up their next move.

No final decision has been made, and Le Bris remains in charge as the season enters its closing stages.

But with expectations rising and ambitions growing following significant backing, Sunderland are keeping their options open as they consider how best to build on their progress heading into next season.

Iraola led Bournemouth to their joint-highest league finish last term, with the Cherries finishing in ninth place.

They are now on track to better that, as they sit in seventh and in with a shout of Champions League qualification, as sixth-place could be enough if Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth.

As revealed on Thursday morning, Chelsea are also admirers of Iraola and have him on a five-man manager shortlist for next season after sacking Liam Rosenior.

We understand Crystal Palace also have Iraola on their radar as a prime target to replace Oliver Glasner, and with interest around Europe, too, a battle for his signature is set to unfold, and Sunderland are firmly in the mix.