Iraola To Leave Bournemouth In Summer

Andoni Iraola has informed Bournemouth that he will leave the club at the end of the season, when his contract expires. He is expected to consider his options this summer with several Premier League jobs potentially arising.

The 43-year-old’s departure could also open the door for the Basque to join his boyhood club Athletic Bilbao, but the former Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic is thought to be the frontrunner to succeed Ernesto Valverde.

Marco Rose, Terzic’s predecessor at Dortmund, whose last job was at RB Leipzig, meanwhile, is thought to be the leading contender to replace Iraola at Bournemouth. Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna is another head coach of interest, but he is under contract at the Championship club until 2028.

Iraola’s future has been a talking point for months, and he has kept his staff in the dark before deciding he will call time at Bournemouth after three seasons in charge. Bournemouth’s players were told of his planned exit after training on Tuesday afternoon.

Iraola has maintained regular dialogue with Bournemouth’s director of football, Tiago Pinto, and their technical director, Simon Francis, without committing his future across 15 months of negotiations.

Iraola, who joined Bournemouth in June 2023, said in a statement released by the club on Tuesday: “I feel this is the right moment for me to step away, but I will always carry fantastic memories of this club.”

Bournemouth’s owner and chair, Bill Foley, said: “Andoni has been instrumental in shaping the direction of this club; 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.”

Bournemouth, who beat Arsenal last weekend and are pushing for their best Premier League finish, had hoped to retain Iraola, believing there was scope to kick on under him again next season, but slowly grew resigned to losing him as time dragged on.