Iraola to leave Bournemouth
Bournemouth’s manager Andoni Iraola has told the club he will depart at the end of the season after 15 months in charge, even though the club tried to keep him. (x.com) Social posts around the announcement drew heavy engagement—one source noted more than 57,000 views on the update. (x.com)
Andoni Iraola has told Bournemouth he will leave when the 2025-26 season ends, closing a three-year spell on the south coast. (skysports.com) Sky Sports reported on Tuesday, April 14, that Iraola informed the squad of his decision that afternoon and has six league matches left in charge. His contract runs only until the end of the season. (skysports.com) Bournemouth had tried to extend his stay, but talks did not produce a new deal. The club gave Iraola a two-year extension on May 13, 2024, tying him to Dean Court through the end of 2025-26. (nytimes.com, (afcb.co.uk)) The timing lands with Bournemouth still in mid-table and not yet mathematically safe from a late slide. The Premier League table listed the club 13th on 42 points after 31 matches on April 14. (premierleague.com) Iraola arrived in June 2023 after Gary O'Neil left, and his first season ended with Bournemouth setting a club-record Premier League points total. The Premier League said that 2023-24 campaign earned him a new contract after the team climbed to 11th with 48 points. (premierleague.com) His second full season raised the bar again. Bournemouth finished ninth in 2024-25 with 56 points, matching the club’s highest top-flight finish and setting a new points record, according to club and local reports. (nytimes.com, (bournemouthecho.co.uk)) This season has been less smooth but still included results that kept Iraola’s stock high. ESPN’s fixture list shows Bournemouth beat Arsenal 2-1 on April 11 after earlier home wins over Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. (espn.com) The exit also matters because Iraola leaves without compensation once his contract expires on June 30, 2026. The Telegraph reported he has not finalized his next move, even as Athletic Club has been linked with him. (telegraph.co.uk, (transfermarkt.com)) Bournemouth are already being pushed into a succession plan. Reports on Tuesday named Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna among the early candidates to replace Iraola. (sports.yahoo.com, (bournemouthecho.co.uk)) For Bournemouth, the last six matches now serve two purposes at once: finishing the season and managing a transition away from the coach who delivered their two best Premier League points totals. (skysports.com, (premierleague.com))
