Iraola says he'll leave Bournemouth at the end of the season | OneFootball

Bournemouth manager, Spaniard Andoni Iraola, will leave the club at the end of the season, the team currently sitting 11th in the Premier League announced this Tuesday (14), a departure that fuels rumors of a possible move to Athletic Bilbao.

The 43-year-old Spaniard arrived at the south coast English club in 2023, replacing then-manager Gary O’Neil, and led the team to the best top-flight finish in its history last season.

According to reports in the English press, the club wanted to renew the Basque coach’s contract, but he reportedly turned it down, a decision that intensifies speculation about a return to his former club, Athletic, to take charge of the ‘rojiblancos’ in place of Ernesto Valverde, who has already announced his departure at the end of the season.

As a player, Iraola spent 12 years at Athletic, making more than 400 appearances.

“It was an honor to manage Bournemouth, and I am proud of what we achieved together,” Iraola said in a statement.

After three years, the Spaniard, one of the most highly rated coaches in Europe, will leave the ‘Cherries’ at the end of his contract.

In addition to Athletic, Iraola has been linked with the prestigious Manchester United managerial job.

The announcement of his departure from Bournemouth came after Iraola, who still has six games left this season, led the team to a magnificent 2-1 away victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal last weekend.

Iraola’s final home game will be against Manchester City on Sunday, May 17, before the team visits Nottingham Forest in the final round of the Premier League season.

Andoni Iraola could bow out in style by securing Bournemouth’s first-ever qualification for a European competition.

The ‘Cherries’ are currently in 11th place, two points behind seventh, a position that would secure them a place in next season’s Conference League.

*By AFP

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.