Bournemouth boss leaving

Andoni Iraola will leave Bournemouth when his contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season, ending a three-year spell on the south coast. (afcb.co.uk) Bournemouth confirmed the decision on Tuesday, April 14, and Sky Sports reported Iraola told his players that afternoon. His deal has three months left, and the club said it had tried to agree a new one. (afcb.co.uk) (skysports.com) The search for a replacement is already under way. Sky Sports said Bournemouth have three favored candidates on their shortlist, and The Athletic reported Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is among the options. (skysports.com) (nytimes.com) Iraola arrived in June 2023 after replacing Gary O'Neil. In 2024-25, he led Bournemouth to ninth place with a club-record 56 Premier League points. (skysports.com) This season, Bournemouth still have six league games left under Iraola. Sky Sports said the club retained an outside chance of its first European qualification, while the Premier League table on April 14 showed Bournemouth on 45 points in 11th place, two points behind seventh. (skysports.com) (premierleague.com) The timing matters because Bournemouth are changing coaches while still chasing the biggest finish in the club's recent top-flight history. Iraola's final home game is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, against Manchester City, before a last-day trip to Nottingham Forest. (skysports.com) Bournemouth's rise under Iraola came with heavy squad turnover. Sky Sports reported the club sold Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, Illia Zabarnyi, Dango Ouattara and Antoine Semenyo this season for a combined £253 million. (skysports.com) Reports have linked Iraola with Athletic Club, where he spent 12 years as a player, but The Telegraph said no next move has been finalized. For Bournemouth, the immediate task is simpler: finish the season and choose the coach who follows him. (telegraph.co.uk)