It is over between Iraola and Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola will leave Bournemouth at the end of the season, with The Athletic confirming that the Spaniard’s three-year spell on the south coast will end when his contract expires this summer.
Bournemouth had been trying to keep him, yet the club have now accepted that Iraola is ready for a new chapter. There is already clear expectation that serious opportunities will follow elsewhere in Europe.
He was already in the mix and Chelsea's shortlist after Maresca's exit, so we wouldn't rule out another connection to Chelsea, considering their position at the moment. Also, a Spanish return could likely happen.
Coach profile – why Iraola will be in demand
Iraola, 43, was appointed Bournemouth head coach in June 2023 after his impressive work with Rayo Vallecano and quickly changed the club’s trajectory.
His work since then has made him one of the most attractive coaches in the market. He led Bournemouth to a club-record 56 Premier League points in 2024/25 and followed that with a joint-best ninth-place finish, while the club have remained competitive again this season. That is a strong output for a coach working without the resources of the traditional top clubs.
That explains why the market will react quickly. Iraola has built a reputation for intensity, aggressive pressing and a clear tactical identity, but the real selling point is that he has shown he can raise the level of a club and leave it in a stronger place than he found it.
The agency behind the next move – IDUB Global
Iraola is represented by IDUB Global, the agency that also works with some of the most prominent Basque and Spanish football figures in the game. Their coaching roster includes Xabi Alonso and Ernesto Valverde, while Martín Zubimendi from Arsenal is one of the agency’s standout player clients.
That football agency angle matters because Iraola’s next step is unlikely to be handled in isolation. IDUB Global already sit in the middle of top-level coaching conversations, and that gives them a powerful position as the next phase of Iraola’s career begins.
Bournemouth are losing one of the Premier League’s most admired coaches. IDUB Global, meanwhile, now have another headline managerial situation on their hands – and given Iraola’s trajectory, the next chapter could be even bigger.
