Andoni Iraola teases top clubs as sources reveal latest on crucial Bournemouth contract talks

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola is not expected to make a decision on his future until the end of the season, when his contract is due to expire, and amid claims he could be chosen as the successor to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, sources can reveal.

The Cherries are keen to resolve Iraola’s future and hand him a long-term extension, and have tried to sit down with him since last summer. However, with a number of top sides monitoring his situation – Manchester City, for one, have been firmly linked as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola – Iraola has made it clear he is not yet ready to commit.

The Spaniard insists he is not averse to remaining at the Vitality Stadium, but he wants to concentrate on the season at this point.

The Cherries finished ninth in the Premier League last season – their highest ever league finish in their history.

This season, they started well but have picked up just three points from their last seven games, most recently earning a point from a dramatic 4-4 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night, and have dropped to 13th place as a result.

Iraola’s stock has risen substantially since joining Bournemouth in 2023 from Rayo Vallecano, and he is still doing a good job this term, considering the key players he lost over the summer, such as Dean Huijsen, Illya Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Dango Outtara.

Iraola’s name comes up constantly with big jobs, and has been mentioned with the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool, Man Utd, Manchester City and Tottenham since arriving.

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Andoni Iraola won’t be distracted as interest ramps up 

My colleague Fraser Fletcher reported in November that Man City have identified Iraola as a potential successor to Guardiola.

Iraola is said to be on the Cityzens’ managerial shortlist alongside Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany, even though Guardiola’s departure from the Etihad is not expected to be imminent, as things now stand.

Sources confirm, however, that Iraola insists he wants to concentrate on Bournemouth at this point rather be distracted with talk about his own future.

As it stands, Iraola is one of three high-profile Premier League managers who are due to be out of-contract this summer along with Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner and Fulham’s Marco Silva.

The trio are the subject of interest but their respective clubs are all keen to tie down their long term futures.

“As a manager, I say it a lot of times, we cannot look too much ahead,” Iraola said in an interview in October. “Your future depends on your next result. We look backwards and everyone values you, or evaluates you, looking at your five, six last games.

“At the end you have to continue performing. You don’t know where you are going to end [up], if your next job is going to be in a bigger club or your next job is going to be in a smaller club.

“I always say, I’m really happy here and I have to be at a very, very high level to have the chance to continue in Bournemouth. That’s my concern. To perform well, you have to win a lot of games, you have to improve players, you have to do your job well so you can have good chances, like being in this club.”

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