Chelsea and Crystal Palace are both interested in hiring Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola.
Chelsea are currently without a permanent manager after firing Liam Rosenior, while Palace are set to wave goodbye to Oliver Glasner at the end of the season.
However, there is a possibility that Iraola does not end up at either club this summer.
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Andoni Iraola willing to go into next season without club
While there are some good managerial opportunities out there right now, Iraola does not appear to be in a hurry to take one.
According to BBC Sport, the 43-year-old is open to going into the 2026/27 campaign without a club, which could complicate things for the likes of Chelsea and Palace.
Despite being heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, Iraola does not appear to be Chelsea’s top target.
It is thought that Xabi Alonso is now Chelsea’s priority, with the former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen manager also available.
Alonso is without a job after leaving the Santiago Bernabeu at the start of the year. He was sacked by Real Madrid, but his stock still remains very high after doing an incredible job at Leverkusen.
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Why Andoni Iraola doesn’t have to take Chelsea job now
Iraola really can afford to take his time. There is simply no reason for him to take the Chelsea job today if he does not feel he is ready for it. It is perhaps something that Rosenior should have considered.
The Chelsea owners may try to paint the manager’s position at Stamford Bridge as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it is not.
Frank Lampard has already had two cracks at it, for example, while it will come around again if Iraola says no now. The Chelsea gig is practically available every other season. There is no reason why Iraola cannot become the club’s manager in the future, perhaps when he has a bit more experience.
The jump from Bournemouth to Chelsea could prove to be too much. Iraola may need to manage another club in between the two first.
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