Andoni Iraola will leave Bournemouth at the end of the season amid bookmakers linking him with the Newcastle job
14:27, 14 Apr 2026Updated 14:40, 14 Apr 2026
Andoni Iraola, manager of AFC Bournemouth greets Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe(Image: Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola will leave his position as Bournemouth manager at the end of the season when his contract at the Vitality Stadium comes to an end.
Iraola will leave the club at the end of the campaign as he will look for a fresh opportunity despite the Cherries trying to convince him to stay during negotiations across the last 15 months.
In a club statement, Bournemouth chairman Bill Foley said: “Andoni has been instrumental in shaping the direction of this football club over the past three seasons. He brought intensity, innovation, and a clear philosophy that elevated AFC Bournemouth both on and off the pitch. We are incredibly thankful for his leadership and will always have great memories of our time working together, as well as the things we accomplished.”
He will leave the club on good terms but will be free to negotiate his next move with his stock high after successful jobs at both Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano.
Iraola led Bournemouth to their highest ever Premier League points total last term when securing a ninth placed finish and has already been linked with the Athletic Bilbao job this summer, although former Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic is said to be the favourite for that post. BBC Sport have claimed that Iraola is keen on a move back to Spain, however.
Get Chronicle Premium now for just £1 HERE – exclusive news and features, our NUFC and Academy notebooks, John Gibson’s columns plus an ad-lite experience
Iraola has also been linked with the Tottenham and Crystal Palace jobs in the past and with this news emerging this week, it could disrupt the Cherries’ final six matches of the season, including Saturday’s trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United.
With pressure growing on Eddie Howe’s positions as manager, Iraola is ironically one of the bookies’ favourite to succeed Howe in the hotseat should United decide to make a managerial change at the end of the season.
That will add an extra narrative to Saturday’s game and both managers could well field questions over the speculation that will only be fuelled by news of Iraola’s departure.
Howe retains the backing of those inside St James’ Park for now but the scrutiny over his future ramped up a notch in the wake of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, which left the Magpies 14th in the Premier League table.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
—
Here at ChronicleLive, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Newcastle United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest NUFC news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Everything is Black and White podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.
FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK! Keep up with all the Newcastle United latest via the Chronicle’s dedicated Facebook page