Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has reportedly turned down ‘lucrative approaches’ to manage in the Saudi Pro League.
Iraola has made a positive impact since he left Rayo Vallecano to take over the reins at the Vitality Stadium in the summer of 2023.
Bournemouth have broken their Premier League record points total in both of Iraola’s two seasons in charge, collecting 48 points in the 2023-24 campaign, before racking 53 points from 37 matches in the current campaign.
Having impressed with his work on the South Coast, Iraola has been linked with a potential departure amid reported interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
However, it remains to be seen whether Spurs will stick with Ange Postecoglou following their recent triumph in the Europa League final against Manchester United.
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Iraola turns down Al-Hilal job
While it remains to be seen what Spurs do next, Iraola has supposedly been presented with the chance to leave Bournemouth for Saudi Arabia.
According to The Mirror, the Bournemouth head coach has turned down ‘lucrative approaches’ from the Saudi Pro League.
The report claims that Al-Hilal are at least one club that made contact with Iraola’s representatives over their vacant manager position.
Al-Hilal were ready to pay Iraola’s release clause, which is understood to be between £9m and £10m, but the 42-year-old opted to ‘politely reject’ the job offer.
The Saudi Arabian side are searching for a new manager ahead of the Club World Cup after Jorge Jesus left his position earlier this month.
Like Iraola, Fulham boss Marco Silva recently turned down the chance to manage Al-Hilal, insisting that he is keen to continue his coaching career in Europe.
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Bournemouth want new Iraola deal
Iraola may have rebuffed Al-Hilal’s advances, but there is still considerable uncertainty surrounding his long-term future, with his Bournemouth contract set to expire in the summer of 2026.
However, the Cherries are said to be hopeful that he will see out his deal and are optimistic that he will sign a new contract with the club.
Talks are believed to be ongoing between the two parties, and there is an expectation that discussions will continue to take place this summer.
Away from his future, Iraola’s current focus will be on Sunday’s final Premier League game of the season against Leicester City.
