Summary

Live Reporting

Written by Elizabeth Botcherby, Alastair Telfer, Tasnim Chowdhury & Grace Wheeler.

  1. Just six games left for Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth. Can he bow out on a high and gift the Cherries and his successor European football?

    We're going to end our live coverage with that question.

    Goodbye!

  2. So, it's been confirmed that Bournemouth will be looking for a new manager for 2026-27, with Andoni Iraola leaving the club at the end of the season.

    Here's the key information we have so far:

    • Andoni Iraola will leave Bournemouth at the end of the 2025-26 season
    • His contract was due to expire this summer and talks over a new deal were unsuccessful
    • He has been heavily linked with La Liga side Athletic Club, for whom he made over 400 appearances as a player
    • Athletic Club have confirmed head coach Ernesto Valverde will leave the club this summer

    You can also read Phil McNulty's thoughts on whether Iraola's departure will speed up the managerial merry-go-round here.

  3. Get Involved

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Whilst gutting, if the rumours that his family want to move back to Spain are true, I can live with that. On the plus side, I'm not sure I've seen Bournemouth have our own BBC live page before. Officially no longer tinpot!

    Nick

    So sad to see such a great manager go. But happy for him to be able to leave still loved by the fans. If Bilbao is his destination then I understand his desire to go home with a young family.

    Felix

    He has done really well at Bournemouth but obviously wants to go back to Athletic as he still has a lot of contacts there and good for him and the family to go back home.

    Christine

  4. 'Emotional pull' for Bilbao job

    Rory Smith
    Football Correspondent for The Observer on BBC Radio 5 Live Monday Night Club

    There is a job outside England that will come up in the summer and would appeal [to Iraola]. Athletic Club Bilbao, Ernesto Valverde is stepping down. That is the club Iraola played for. It's the club where he learnt a lot of his footballing principles. A lot of the elements of his game comes from [Marcelo] Bielsa's Bilbao team.

    That job is available, if he wants to go back to Spain. There will be a massive, emotional pull for that job.

    My sense would be, he could aim higher and that I think it is possible that [Manchester] City's up this summer, maybe. It is possible that [Manchester] United is available, depending on what they want to do with Michael Carrick, [or] Liverpool.

    *Speaking before the announcement of Iraola's departure*

    Andoni Iraola at Athletic BilbaoGetty Images

  5. Bilbao bound? 'I have a lot of friends there'

    While plenty of Premeir League clubs will be eyeing Andoni Iraola, he's been heavily linked to La Liga's Athletic Club Bilbao, whose current manager Ernesto Valverde is leaving at the end of the season.

    Iraola has strong ties to Athletic Club, making 510 appearances for the Spanish side between 2003 and 2015 before finishing his playing career at New York City FC.

    Reacting to Valverde's departure announcement in March, Iraola said: "It affects me probably as a supporter because I support this club.

    "I've been playing there for a lot of years and has been a surprise also for me. I have a lot of friends there, and in your group, you see the news and they send you their messages.

    "I can only speak very well. It's my biggest reference in football, Ernesto. It's a decision that he has made, but it's not affecting me apart from the supporter side, let's say."

    Iraola, wearing a red and white striped Athletic Bilbao shirt, punches his arms in the air and roars in celebrationGetty Images

  6. Get Involved - 'Glasner, McKenna, Lijnders?'

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    Absolutely devastating to lose him — and you just hope it’s Bilbao he’s heading to (anyone else would make it even tougher to take). Fingers crossed we can secure European football this season and retain the squad, so we’re can keep our exciting prospect tag. Glasner, McKenna, Terzic, or Lijnders

    Harrison

    Gutted but not surprised. Once Athletic Club showed interest, it was always going to an uphill battle. Thankful to have had him for as long as we did, and has laid a great foundation to kick on from

    Max

  7. Iraola contender for Premier League manager jobs

    Rory Smith
    Football Correspondent for The Observer on BBC Radio 5 Live Monday Night Club

    Where would Andoni Iraola fit in terms of [Manchester] City, [Manchester] United, Liverpool and Chelsea?

    It is certainly possible that those four will all come up. I think Iraola will be a contender for all of them.

    I think he could probably fine-tune [teams]. I think the principles would remain the same, that high octane football, but I suspect he would be able to adjust it to the squad a little bit.

  8. Get Involved - Liverpool, Chelsea, United or Newcastle next?

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    It makes sense for him: there could be Liverpool, Chelsea, Man Utd, and Newcastle all looking for new managers at the end of the season, as well as a host of European clubs. He's done so well at Bournemouth, his team is a joy to watch!

    Robert

    Liverpool bound

    Trevor

    Get him to Newcastle

    Jeremy

  9. 'Iraola brings element of chaos'

    Nedum Onuoha
    Former Manchester City defender on Monday Night Club

    If Andoni Iraola was to go to a 'bigger team or club' in the Premier League or in Spain, those teams are used to having more possession and I don't know if an Iraola style suits that as such.

    Some of the chaos that can exist at the end of a Brentford game [reaction to not being awarded a penalty], I don't think teams will be that accepting of it. Especially, if it doesn't provide the outcome.

    I think some of these 'bigger' clubs can win a game 1-0 and it could feel like it's 6-0 because they dictated the whole thing. But I think [Iraola] brings an element of chaos and not every 'big' team is suited to that.*Speaking before the announcement of Iraola's departure*

  10. Get Involved - Howe return?

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    Shame for Bournemouth, but could this be the time for Eddie Howe to return there? Not a Cherries fan but an interesting situation.

    Roger

    Could be good timing to bring back Eddie Howe ? Massive blow Iraola going but Howe can do it again for us.

    Dave

    Howe to be sacked by Newcastle and return to Bournemouth?

    Mitchell

  11. Managerial merry-go-round?

    Michael Carrick (left), wearing a black coat with his arms folded; Andoni Iraola, wearing navy tracksuits with a whistle on a red strap around his neck and holding two footballs under his left arm; and Oliver Glasner (right), wearing a black coat and clapping his handsGetty Images

    Andoni Iraola is the second manager to confirm he will leave his current Premier League side at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, with Oliver Glasner due to depart Crystal Palace after a little over two years in south London.

    Elsewhere, Manchester United could be in the hunt for a new manager, with Michael Carrick's interim tenure, which began in January, only confirmed to run until the end of the season.

    Liverpool boss Arne Slot and Newcastle's Eddie Howe are also under pressure following underwhelming performances in 2025-26.

    Xabi Alonso, Enzo Maresca and Ruben Amorim are among the big names currently out of work and available.

    Then there are international managers Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Carlo Ancelotti and Julian Nagelsmann who could also be out of work after the World Cup.

    How many new faces and/or managerial moves will we see in the dugouts come August?

  12. Get Involved - 'Massive loss'

    Select the 'Get Involved' button to have your say

    Sadly this was increasingly inevitable over recent days and weeks. Naturally gutted. However, the club's recruitment has been stunning over the last couple of years and it's now time for them to find the next managing superstar! Onwards and upwards.

    Johnathan

    Iraola will be a massive loss - but I think it was inevitable that he was leaving. I have faith in the recruitment team, they have consistently found a way to move the club forward when we have lost irreplaceable players. I am sure they have a plan.

    Tom

    Unfortunately for Bournemouth this was always on the cards. It must be frustrating for him to keep losing his best players. I think Bournemouth will struggle without him but I see why he wants to move on. He's welcome to come to Chelsea anytime.

    Gillian

  13. Another summer of change awaits at Bournemouth

    After leading Bournemouth to new heights in the Premier League, Andoni Iraola leaves big shoes to fill in terms of on-field performances.

    But perhaps the biggest challenge for his successor is managing the turnover of players at the Vitality Stadium, with Bournemouth a favourite shop window for Europe's elite.

    Ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, Iraola lost three of his first-choice back four in Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and Illia Zarbarnyi and then saw attacker Antoine Semenyo head to Man City in January.

    The previous summer, 2023-24 leading scorer Dominic Solanke departed for Tottenham.

    Although Bournemouth have had their wobbles this season, including a run of 11 games without a win, they remain on course for their best Premier League season.

    But with teenager Junior Kroupi linked to Chelsea and Liverpool and Marcos Senesi on Juventus' radar, Iraola's replacement could have a busy first summer on their hands.

    bournemouth stadiumGetty Images

  14. Get Involved - 'Absolutely gutted'

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    Enormous blow. Difficult to replace the best. Inevitable really, but made our lives that much more enjoyable

    Keith

    Absolutely gutted and now dreading the months of uncertainty as we have to reset while likely losing more of our standout players (again). But I’m mostly just grateful for an amazing three years, in which Andoni has been everything you could ask for in a gaffer and more. Love him.

    Josh

    Massive shame to see Iraola go. His Bournemouth team played fantastic football. I always found his post-match interviews infectious too. I wonder if Eddie Howe would return!! Probably not but expect he’d work very well with Bill Foley

    Simon

  15. Bournemouth 'punching above their weight' under Iraola

    Luke Edwards
    Daily Telegraph writer on the BBC Radio 5 Live

    What Iraola has done, to lose your back four last summer and they also had a bad run this season, a really tough run... it is a truly remarkable job.

    They have been brilliant for a number of years, a club that has punched above their weight for a number of years.

    He is going to be in demand because of the excellent work he's done.

    Andoni IraolaGetty Images

  16. Iraola's top-six scalps

    Andoni Iraola celebrating his side's win over ArsenalGetty Images

    News of Andoni Iraola's departure comes just three days after his Bournemouth side blew the title race wide open with a 2-1 victory over league leaders Arsenal.

    Alex Scott scored a 74th-minute winner for the Cherries after Viktor Gyokeres' penalty had cancelled out Junior Kroupi's opener.

    And it's far from the first time Iraola has masterminded an unexpected result during his time on the south coast.

    In December 2023, he led Bournemouth to their first win at Old Trafford with a 3-0 win over Man United.

    The following season saw another away win against Man United plus a home win over Man City and the double over Arsenal.

    And in 2025-26, they've beaten both Liverpool and Arsenal as well as drawing home and away with Man United and Chelsea.

  17. Get Involved - 'Don't be sad he's going'

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    Brilliant coach, honest and articulate. Clear and exciting way of playing football. If he's going back to Bilbao, he will go with everyone's best wishes. He's going home. Don't be sad he's going, enjoy what's he's done over the last three years.

    Martin

    Iraola is the best available out there. As a Man Utd fan I would love him at Utd but hate it if he went City. If he does go to back to Spain, Real & Barca will be worried. My twin will be gutted in Bournemouth. Top recruitment

    Mark

  18. Andoni tops Cherries' PL list

    Prudent Nsengiyumva
    BBC Sport journalist

    In Premier League matches, Andoni Iraola has delivered Bournemouth’s strongest managerial return at this level. His points per game and win percentage both rank highest among Cherries managers in the league, edging past Eddie Howe’s longer top‑flight tenure and the shorter spells that followed. His win percentage exceeds all previous Bournemouth top‑flight spells.

    The improvement is modest but meaningful in context. Previous Bournemouth Premier League sides were largely built to survive, often spending extended periods defending deep and without the ball. Under the Spanish coach, results have ticked up alongside a clear stylistic shift, with Bournemouth playing more proactively and assertively than at any previous point in their Premier League history.

    PL record of Bournemouth managers

  19. Andoni Iraola joined Bournemouth on a two-year deal in June 2023, inheriting a side which finished 15th under Gary O'Neil.

    He guided them to 12th place in his first season in charge, achieving a then-club high 48 points, and was rewarded with a contract extension until the end of 2025-26.

    The following season, Bournemouth finished ninth with 56 points and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

    Although they currently sit 11th in the Premier League, Bournemouth remain firmly in the race for European football with just three points separating them from sixth-placed Chelsea.

    IraolaGetty Images

  20. Get Involved - 'Brilliant coach, true gentleman'

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    As a lifelong Bournemouth fan it’s sad to see Iraola go! Eddie Howe was our Messiah, but Iraola is our Pioneer, taking us to heights we didn’t think was possible! No hard feelings, I’m just glad he was with us! Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened!

    Oli

    What a manager! Second greatest manager in our history (behind Howe), wish him all the best

    James

    A brilliant coach and a true gentleman. Absolutely gutted as a fan, but he goes with our thanks and best wishes for every future success - whichever club he goes to will get a gem.

    Keith