Iraola on Semenyo, Evanilson & the January market

Evanilson and Enes Unal finished the Tottenham game with "some issues" and are being assessed. Iraola hopes they will be fit to play in the FA Cup, "but cannot guarantee".

On the manner of Antoine Semenyo's departure to Manchester City on Friday: "I have been talking to Antoine lately and trying to convince him that if he's going to leave that he should do that in a proper way. I think he has performed and dealt with the situation very, very well. We hope the best for him."

Iraola clarified that Semenyo's future has only been decided very recently: "The truth is, until the last day, nothing was really agreed. There have been more clubs involved. I was expecting him to leave but it was not a clear situation until the end."

Iraola said that although he sometimes speaks with managers and technical directors from other clubs, he did not talk to Pep Guardiola about Semenyo: "I don't think there's a lot of secrets in Antoine. His level is quite clear and what he can do."

On how he will select the line-up for the trip to Newcastle: "It's a tricky moment for us because we are in a delicate situation. Numbers-wise, we have 15 outfield players. We have to choose the combinations very well to think how we can be competitive."

On the "disappointment" of drawing Newcastle, having been "unlucky" to face "the only big, big club" left - Manchester City - in last season's quarter-final: "The only chance we have right now is to play a very, very good game, go ahead somehow, and earn the right to be in the next draw."

On how he assesses transfer options that are offered to him but he has not seen before: "You have to try and help the club, but a player you have seen in an one-hour video is not the same value as the feedback that you can give on a player you know. I have to trust the club in these times."

On being flexible in a limited January market: "Probably, we are not going to find the perfect profile for what we need. We have to try to find the closest one of a different profile, but maybe the level of the player is better so we can change the position of some of the players we already have."