AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is possibly the most in-demand coach in Europe this summer, after announcing that he would be leaving the Cherries last month. It seems that it will not be Manchester United or Chelsea that secure his signature though.
Initially, Iraola was linked with the job at Athletic Club, once it became known that Ernesto Valverde would not be continuing. Nevertheless, Los Leones had a replacement for Valverde lined up, and this week announced that former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic would be taking over.
Andoni Iraola closing in on Crystal Palace job
As per El Chiringuito, Iraola is close to signing a deal with Crystal Palace. Despite interest from Chelsea, Iraola is not entirely convinced by the proposal on the table from the Blues, who have been through three more managers this season. Palace would provide him with more stability.
🇪🇸🏴 “ANDONI IRAOLA, CERCA de LLEGAR al CRYSTAL PALACE”.
ℹ️ Información de @marcosbenito9 pic.twitter.com/BpNslT9w0P
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) May 7, 2026
Manchester United and Chelsea have shown interest in Iraola
The Basque manager has been cited as one of the top candidates for the Manchester United and Chelsea jobs. The latter are in a state of flux, sitting in ninth place and in serious risk of missing out on not just Champions League football, but European football altogether. After the controversial sacking of Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior was dismissed last month, and assistant Calum McFarlane has been placed in charge on an interim basis until the end of the season, as they look for a new coach.
On the other hand, Michael Carrick is also in charge on an interim basis at Old Trafford. His stint as manager has gone well though, and he has qualified Manchester United for the Champions League. United are reportedly still looking at their options for next season though, with Iraola high on their shortlist. It seems Palace have offered Iraola a project that he trusts though.
