Andoni Iraola to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season with next club in talks to sign sought-after manager | OneFootball

Andoni Iraola will leave Bournemouth at the end of the season, saying he is “proud of what we achieved together”.

The Spanish manager is being chased by Athletic Bilbao, the club where he made more than 400 appearances as a player, and Bournemouth confirmed that Iraola’s time at the Vitality Stadium will come to a close this summer.

Bournemouth had held talks with the 43-year-old in an effort to negotiate a new deal for their highly sought-after manager, whose contract expires in July. But those talks failed and Iraola will depart, having led the club to finishes of 12th and ninth in his first two seasons in the Premier League.

“AFC Bournemouth can confirm that head coach, Andoni Iraola, will leave the club at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, bringing an end to his successful three-year tenure on the south coast,” a statement read.

The news is a blow to the south-coast club as they seek to build on their impressive spell back in the Premier League. Iraola caught the attention of clubs all over Europe with Bournemouth’s high-intensity style, and several of his players have been sold to European giants for large profits.

Bournemouth are currently 11th in the table after beating league leaders Arsenal on the weekend to extend their unbeaten run to 12 games, the club’s longest in the top flight, and are still in the hunt for European football next season.

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Andoni Iraola bids farewell to Bournemouth after three years at the helm (PA)

Iraola had been linked with a number of Premier League positions including Manchester United, when Michael Carrick’s short-term contract expires this summer. But his family is thought to prefer a return to Spain’s Basque Country, where Iraola was born and where he spent most of his playing career.

“It has been an honour to manage AFC Bournemouth and I am proud of what we have achieved together,” Iraola said in a statement. “I’m thankful to the players and staff that I’ve worked with, as well as Bill [Foley, the club chairman], who have all made my time here so special. As for the fans, you have continued to show your fantastic support to myself and the team, and for that I will always be grateful. I feel this is the right moment for me to step away, but I will always carry fantastic memories of this club.”

Foley said: “Andoni has been instrumental in shaping the direction of this football club over the past three seasons. He brought intensity, innovation, and a clear philosophy that elevated AFC Bournemouth both on and off the pitch. We are incredibly thankful for his leadership and will always have great memories of our time working together, as well as the things we accomplished.”