Bournemouth confirm Iraola will leave club at end of season: 'It's been an honour'

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a] have confirmed that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/iraola-andoni/xpALVpwq/"]Iraola[/a] is going to depart at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, with the club currently sat 11th in the Premier League.[/p][p][b]"AFC Bournemouth can confirm that Head Coach, Andoni Iraola, will leave the club at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, bringing an end to his successful three-year tenure on the south coast," [/b]the club said in a statement.[/p][p]"Since his appointment, the club has continued to compete in the Premier League, most notably delivering a record points total of 56 in 2024/25 and consequently achieving their joint-highest finish of ninth place.[/p][p][b]"Iraola has played a pivotal role in establishing the club’s identity in the Premier League, earning widespread recognition for his progressive style of play and commitment to developing both emerging and established talent."[/b][/p][p]A report from [b][i]The Athletic[/i][/b] claims that Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is high on the list of potential successors, with the process to find a replacement already underway.[/p][p]Iraola joined Bournemouth in June 2023 and will have overseen a three-year tenure by the time he departs.[/p][embed guid="f46f153d-3b49-45b6-846f-1a8c94092654" url="https://x.com/afcbournemouth/status/2044045510705594600" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 43-year-old has received praise for the way in which he developed several top talents that moved on for big fees during his time on the south coast, including the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/huijsen-dean/2V3qUZAd/"]Dean Huijsen[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zabarnyi-illia/8SehvaqF/"]Ilya Zabarnyi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/semenyo-antoine/r1Gz1yPk/"]Antoine Semenyo[/a].[/p][p]His entertaining style has also seen Bournemouth become a mainstay in the Premier League, regularly finishing in mid-table and picking up results against the country's elite clubs.[/p][p]The Cherries recently [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/arsenal-hA1Zm19f/bournemouth-OtpNdwrc/?mid=jcHwYvNG"]beat league leaders Arsenal 2-1[/a] at the Emirates Stadium and are next in action [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bournemouth-OtpNdwrc/newcastle-p6ahwuwJ/?mid=QVFIk4lJ"]against Newcastle.[/a][/p][p][b]"It has been an honour to manage AFC Bournemouth, and I am proud of what we have achieved together. I’m thankful to the players and staff that I’ve worked with, as well as Bill (Foley, club Chairman), who have all made my time here so special,"[/b] Iraola said.[/p][p]"As for the fans, you have continued to show your fantastic support to myself and the team, and for that I will always be grateful.[/p][p][b]"I feel this is the right moment for me to step away, but I will always carry fantastic memories of this club.”[/b][/p][image alt="Bournemouth's remaining matches this season" id="4bf5b34b-68e4-4110-8765-04688f85e29e" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="2672f475-02aa-465f-a413-c715fd59faf9" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]Iraola is closely linked with his former club, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ath-bilbao/IP5zl0cJ/"]Athletic Club[/a] of Bilbao, where he made over 400 LaLiga appearances.[/p][p]It has already been confirmed that the current Athletic head coach, Ernesto Valverde, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-laliga-ernesto-valverde-to-step-down-as-athletic-club-coach-at-end-of-season/z34hX0iI/"]will vacate his position at the end of the season.[/a][/p]