Andoni Iraola has been linked with Man United and Chelsea (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has already decided to leave the club when his contract expires this summer, but now he must decide between Manchester United and Chelsea.
The Spanish tactician has done an excellent job during his tenure at the Cherries, who have already agreed Marco Rose to replace him next season.
Download the official CaughtOffSide app to get all the latest news and updates straight to your phone. above apple & Google play
Meanwhile, Iraola has yet to make a final decision on his next move, but industry insiders confirm: catch off side He is a strong candidate for Chelsea and initial contacts have been made with his agent.
Manchester United are also likely to be on the list, but there are some key factors to consider as you wait to see how this story unfolds…
Michael Carrick’s future
As of this afternoon, there was still no final decision from Man United on whether Michael Carrick would remain at Old Trafford after his term as caretaker manager ends.
A source with ties to the agency industry said. catch off side “Carrick are favorites to win but it’s not over yet. United will wait until the end of the season.”
He also played down talk of Carrick being a favorite to win the title, insisting: “Bringing in a player like Iraola changes everything. They don’t want another Solskjær.”
Want more catchoffside coverage? Add us Google recommended sources Add trusted news to your favorites list
It’s a bit of a mixed message overall, and the complicating factor for United here is that Chelsea have a head start against them. The Blues need to start looking for a manager now, and while they have approached a number of candidates, Iraola is on the shortlist ahead of names like Xabi Alonso, Oliver Glasner and Francesco Faglioli.
This could mean Iraola has already made some progress at Chelsea by the time United make a decision. However, that is not the case at the moment, and sources say he is in no hurry to accept an offer right away. This will give the Red Devils time and perhaps a chance to speak to him after the season ends.
champions league soccer
United appear to be aiming to qualify for the Champions League, but Chelsea could miss out on qualification due to their recent lackluster form.
However, it is our understanding that this is not considered important to Iraora. But it definitely doesn’t hurt to be able to offer experience in the competition of Europe’s top clubs, and all the advantages in the transfer market that come with it, so we’ll have to see how this develops.
Iraola’s current impressive work at Bournemouth could see them qualify for Europe. So it would be a bit of a step down for him if he were to take over as manager at Stamford Bridge, when the team could even finish the season below Iraola’s side in the table.
Chelsea uncertainty
Perhaps the most important factor here will be how much traction Chelsea still have after such a chaotic period under this ownership.
Managers like Iraola and Alonso should surely be aware that there are other offers out there, so they might think twice about working with this board and this somewhat sporadic recruitment policy.
Iraola is not understood to be ruling out CFC, so perhaps the club could bring him into their project, but it probably won’t help their cause that things seem to be on a more upward trajectory while MUFC currently appears to be a more stable environment.
One source described Chelsea’s job as a “career killer”. It’s becoming increasingly difficult not to see it that way, but the big question will be the extent to which directors like Iraola share that view or support taking on that challenge.
