Bournemouth rewards Andoni Iraola after interest from giants

Bournemouth has quietly put together a very strong season under first-year manager Andoni Iraola. Having brought the Spanish boss over from Rayo Vallecano in the summer, the Cherries sit 11th in the Premier League table. They are on pace to put together their second-highest finish in club history. Led by players like Dominic Solanke and Lewis Cook, Bournemouth does not have the most glamorous side in the Premier League. Yet, it has pulled off decent results against top clubs, which is a credit to Iraola.

That success with an under-appreciated squad drew interest from several of the top clubs, particularly in Spain. FC Barcelona, before convincing Xavi to stay on with the project, expressed an interest in bringing on Iraola. Then, Athletic Club looked like a major contender to sign Iraola. The Spanish manager had a long career in the Basque Country with Athletic as a right-back.

However, Bournemouth put those moves to bed, at least for now, by signing Iraola to a contract extension. The Spaniard’s original contract at Dean Court was just two years, meaning he had one season after the 2023/24 campaign. However, Bournemouth locked down Iraola for one additional season, keeping him at the club through the 2025/26 season.

Bournemouth success under Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley initially took heat for sacking Gary O’Neil, who guided the club to safety last season. In fairness, O’Neil has done well at Wolves this season. Yet, Foley said signing Iraola to an extension has been an overall positive for the club.

“Andoni has made a huge impact since arriving at the club and we are thrilled to agree to this extension,” . “We have achieved a club-record points tally in the Premier League thanks to a series of excellent performances and results from the team. The players have clearly bought into his footballing philosophy and our supporters have really taken to him.”

The club-record points tally is particularly impressive….

Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bournemouth-rewards-andoni-iraola-after-interest-from-giants/

Author : Kyle Fansler

Publish date : 2024-05-13 17:21:41

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