For a while now, Andoni Iraola has felt like the favourite to take over as Chelsea manager. But according to reports in Spain, it is claimed that, actually, Iraola could be heading to Crystal Palace.
As things stand, there are three front-runners for the Chelsea job. Bournemouth manager Iraola is one of those after a stunning three-year spell with the Cherries, in which he could end his spell in sixth position.
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It just makes sense.
Then there is Marco Silva. The Fulham manager is yet to sign a new contract, and Chelsea are said to have held talks with Silva and spoken to Iraola’s representatives. Xabi Alonso is the other on Chelsea’s list.
Moves for Francesco Farioli and Fabian Hurzeler have come up short, while other names like Xavi, Oliver Glasner, and Niko Kovac have been linked. But Iraola is certainly the one who has been linked the most.
El Chiringuito journalist claims to have an Iraola update
There was talk of Iraola returning to his old club Athletic Bilbao, where he clocked up 510 appearances as a player under the likes of Marcelo Bielsa. But German gaffer Edin Terzic has been appointed manager.
Recently, Alex Crook said that Iraola wanted to move to London, with Crystal Palace also interested. But Crook claimed Palace stood little chance against the lure of Chelsea. However, that may be premature.
AFC Bournemouth Training Session
Photo by Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images
Spanish reporter Marcos Benito reports on El Chiringuito that he has been told Iraola is closing in on a move to Palace. In fact, live on the programme, he claims to have received a text suggesting as much.
“They’re telling me that Iraola is close to Crystal Palace. There’s been a lot of talk about Chelsea, that he could go there, but I’m hearing that Chelsea’s proposal might not fully convince him,” Benito reported.
“And they’re pointing toward Crystal Palace as the Premier League club where Iraola could end up. In fact, I’ve literally just received a message about that now, so yeah,” the Spanish reporter continued this week.
BlueCo have got to come to a realisation quickly
For any manager worth their salt, why would they want to join Chelsea right now? This is a Chelsea side currently sitting in ninth position, a side that have lost six on the bounce, and are in complete disarray.
A club where fans are protesting the ownership. It is that ownership that is going to prevent the Blues from hiring a manager who appeases supporters, and bring in a gaffer that Chelsea fans actually want.
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Liam Rosenior and Enzo Maresca were both hired because Chelsea could get them. Regardless of what happened next, they were hired because they were easy to get and ultimately, were seen as yes men.
When Maresca overstepped his mark, he was sacked. While BlueCo remain, or continue to run things in the way they are, which includes a whopping five sporting directors, why would any manager want it?
Sam Allardyce has ordered Silva to ignore a move to Chelsea while things are being run in the way they are, and it is hard to argue with the former England boss. If Iraola rejects Chelsea, it is easy to see why.
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