Football
Exclusive: Man Utd Keen on Bournemouth Boss Andoni Iraola, but Athletic Bilbao Could Be His Preference
Andoni Iraola, currently manager at Bournemouth, is a top candidate for Manchester United but may return to Spain with Athletic Bilbao. Known for his success with the Cherries, he is being considered to replace Ernesto Valverde amid Bilbao's struggles in La Liga and the Champions League. His strong ties to the club could make a move back an appealing option.
Bournemouth v Liverpool - Premier League by Michael Steele | Getty Images
Andoni Iraola is being considered as Manchester United's next permanent manager, but could turn his back on the Premier League to make a sensational return to Spain, SportsBoom can reveal.
Iraola has worked wonders with the South Coast club since being appointed in June 2023 to replace Gary O’Neil, taking the Cherries to ninth last season.
His body of work, underlined by last Saturday’s stunning 3-2 win over reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, has seen him touted for more prestigious top flight jobs.
And while a new contract offer to keep him at the Vitality Stadium beyond the end of the current campaign remains unsigned, speculation is rife as to where we will manager next term.
Our sources have been told the 43-year-old, who arrived at Bournemouth via AEK Larnaca in Cyprus and Rayo Vallecano in Spain, is being considered to succeed Ernesto Valverde at Athletic Bilbao.
Ex-Barcelona boss Valverde is also out of contract at the end of 2025/2026 after more than a decade of service with the Basque club.
And Bilbao, beaten Europa League semi-finalists by United last season, are suffering an underwhelming season.
They cling to possible last 16 Champions League qualification by the slenderest of margins going into the final round of group games and languish 12th in La Liga, a whopping 17 points off the top four.
in other news, Michael Carrick has wasted no time making his presence felt at Old Trafford, and sources reveal he is quietly determined to turn his interim spell at Manchester United into a permanent role.
Highly-Wanted Boss
While a move to Bilbao looks a sideways one with interest from the likes of United, Crystal Palace and Spurs, should Thomas Frank depart, it does make sense.
A former Spanish international defender, Iraola played more than 500 times in 12 seasons for the San Mames club, making him a firm favourite with the staunchly partisan Bilbao supporters.
As one of their own they would welcome him back with open arms should he look to quit Bournemouth.
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.