Bournemouth have appointed Andoni Iraola as their new head coach after sacking Gary O’Neil.
Spaniard Iraola, who was previously wanted by Leeds, was available having recently ended a three-season spell in charge of La Liga side Rayo Vallecano.
Iraola oversaw an 11th-place finish at the Madrid-based club last season, earning promotion to the top tier in his first campaign in charge in 2021.
Cherries chairman Bill Foley said:
“We’re so excited to welcome Andoni to the club. With his contract in Spain coming to an end this summer we wanted to act quickly.
“He was highly sought after by other clubs across the continent, and his style of play has been an important factor in making this decision.
“His achievements in Spain have certainly been very impressive, and we’re confident that he is the right man to lead our next chapter.
“We have identified a number of targets in the transfer market, which along with our January additions will supplement our strong playing squad to give Andoni the best chance to consolidate our Premier League status and keep progressing.”
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Andoni Iraola as the club's new head coach.
Welcome to #afcb, Andoni 🤝
— AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) June 19, 2023
His appointment comes after O’Neil’s departure was announced earlier on Monday. He took over as interim head coach following the sacking of Scott Parker in August and was given an 18-month deal in November.
He picked up 36 points during his time in charge and guided the club to a 15th-placed finish in the Premier League, with many believing he was a Manager of the Year candidate.
Explaining the decision, Bournemouth owner Bill Foley said:
“we have identified a number of significant targets in the transfer market” and “this change in direction will provide us with the best platform from which to build”.
“Gary will go on to have a long career as a head coach or manager, but we feel that, at this moment in time, a change is in the best interests of this football club. I would like to place on record my thanks to Gary and wish him all the best for the future.”
