AFC Bournemouth Manager Iraola to Depart at Season End

Bournemouth, England — Premier League club AFC Bournemouth announced on Tuesday that manager Andoni Iraola will depart at the end of the season, following a failure to reach an agreement on a contract extension.

The 43-year-old Spaniard, who joined the Cherries in June 2023 after guiding Rayo Vallecano to promotion to La Liga in 2021, leaves after overseeing significant progress. In his first campaign, Iraola lifted Bournemouth three places in the standings to 12th, securing a new deal through 2026. Last season, the team achieved a club-record 56 points and finished ninth, their joint-highest position in the top flight. This year, Bournemouth sit 11th with six games remaining, just three points behind sixth-placed Chelsea and in contention for a historic European qualification spot. They are 15 points clear of relegation and currently on a 12-game unbeaten run, capped by a 2-1 victory over league leaders Arsenal on Saturday.

Iraola's tenure marks him as Bournemouth's most successful Premier League manager, with 108 games yielding the highest winning percentage and points-per-game average in club history. Across his time at the Vitality Stadium, he implemented an intense,...