Manchester City have hit a stumbling block in their pursuit of Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, with the Spaniard in no rush to decide his future just yet.
Manchester City have started looking for a potential successor to Pep Guardiola, as the Spanish tactician could choose to part ways with the club after almost a decade-long stint at the club. While his departure is not imminent, City are still making plans to ensure they have a replacement lined up.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, City have their eyes set on Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, who has done wonders for the Premier League outfit. However, they face frustration in their pursuit of the Spanish manager, as he is not keen on making a decision on his future until the end of the season.
Iraola has taken Bournemouth’s place since joining them back in 2023 from Rayo Vallecano. The Cherries were off to a flying start this season. While things haven’t been that great for them of late, as they have fallen to 13th on the table, the manager has still done quite an impressive job, given he lost Dean Huijsen, Illya Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Dango Outtara in the summer transfer window.
With his contract at Bournemouth running out at the end of the season, his future has been a big talking point. The Cherries are pushing hard to secure his long-term future with a new deal. They have been trying to negotiate a new deal since last summer, but they haven’t had any success.
City want Iraola to succeed Guardiola
Iraola isn’t keen on committing his future just yet, as he is aware of the increasing interest in his signature. Manchester City are one of the clubs that are keen on having him on their bench. While Guardiola will still have a year left on his deal next summer, he could still choose to part ways with the club.
As a result, City want to be prepared for his potential departure. They consider Iraola a perfect fit to replace him, given what he has done at Bournemouth. However, they will have to wait until the end of the season to see if he is willing to make the move.
He is completely focused on doing his best for the Cherries this season and won’t make any commitments just yet. He is open to staying at the Dorset-based club, but for now, he wants to concentrate on the job at hand.
