Tottenham is considering Andoni Iraola (42), who leads Bournemouth, as a candidate for the next manager. However, British media has forecast that his appointment will not be easy.
According to British media outlet Teamtalk, on the 20th (Korean time), "Tottenham is contemplating the future of their struggling manager, Ange Postecoglou. They are evaluating Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, as a potential successor. However, there are three obstacles that Tottenham must overcome to bring him in," it reported.
Iraola debuted in the Premier League during the summer of 2023, taking charge of Bournemouth. In his first season, he led the team to a 12th place finish and is showing further growth this season, currently standing 10th with just five points behind 4th place. They are competing for a spot in the Champions League.
According to Teamtalk, Tottenham must overcome three hurdles to sign Iraola. The first is the issue regarding manager Postecoglou's future. Currently, Tottenham has fallen to 14th place in the Premier League and was eliminated early from the FA Cup. However, the club plans not to make an immediate decision on Postecoglou's future. Tottenham will decide whether to change managers based on their performance in the UEFA Europa League.
The second point is that Tottenham is not the only club interested in Iraola. Several clubs in Europe are keeping an eye on his situation, and big clubs are also showing interest. Teamtalk analyzed, "Although Tottenham sees Iraola as a strong candidate for the position, there is a significant possibility of fierce competition."
The third issue is Iraola's own choice. Bournemouth currently views him as a key asset. They are expected to offer a new contract to encourage him to stay. Teamtalk projected, "Iraola aims to continue the project at Bournemouth and target participation in European competitions. Just as Xabi Alonso remained with Bayer Leverkusen despite Liverpool's interest last year, Iraola may also refuse a transfer."
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