Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly make Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola their ‘top target’ to replace Ange Postecoglou should they sack the Australian.
Iraola has done a fantastic job the south coast and is widely regarded as one of the most promising managers in Europe.
His start at Bournemouth was far from ideal though, winning his first Premier League match at the tenth attempt.
The Cherries drew three and lost six – five of which were by two or more goals – of their first nine league matches with Iraola in charge, but the club’s hierarchy did not make a kneejerk decision.
Iraola was nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Season award and is again in contention in 2024/25. He was the only manager from a club outside the top four to be nominated last year.
Bournemouth’s form has dipped in recent weeks but they are in the race for Champions League qualification, sitting four points behind Manchester City in fifth, which should be enough to qualify for Europe’s premier competition.
His work has not gone unnoticed, with a move to a bigger club on the cards.
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Postecoglou is under pressure to deliver the Europa League with his side lingering in the bottom half of the Premier League and out of the FA Cup.
The former Celtic boss pretty much assured the club’s supporters that he would deliver a trophy in his second season and ending the campaign trophyless and in the bottom half of the Premier League will surely see him relieved of his duties.
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Iraola has been tipped by many to succeed Postecoglou if he gets sacked and a report from The Athletic says Spurs will target the 42-year-old if they get rid of the Australian.
Indeed, Iraola will be the London club’s ‘top target’ should they part ways with Postecoglou.
With Postecoglou’s position ‘under increased scrutiny’, there is a good chance Spurs will be searching for a new manager this summer, though their current focus is ‘finishing the season strongly’.
Even with a Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt around the corner, ‘there are question marks over his long-term future’, which is in ‘serious doubt beyond this season’.
Iraola only has one year left on his Bournemouth contract but Spurs would have to pay a £10million release clause should they wish to appoint him.
This is ‘unlikely to be a barrier’, though it all comes down to Iraola, who could be courted by other clubs in the summer, namely Real Madrid.
Also ‘under consideration’ at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are Brentford boss Thomas Frank and Fulham’s Marco Silva, the report adds.
Silva was considered in the summer of 2023 and ‘reached the final three’ candidates, meaning he is ‘the second likeliest for the role behind Iraola’.