Tottenham Hotspur will ramp up their search for a permanent manager over the coming months as they prepare for life after Igor Tudor.
The interim boss will depart at the end of the season regardless of results, with Spurs currently sitting 16th and flirting with a catastrophic relegation dogfight.
Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with a return to N17, while Edin Terzic, Marco Rose and Roberto de Zerbi are also on Tottenham’s shortlist.
In recent weeks, Andoni Iraola’s name has been added to Spurs’ shortlist, with the Spaniard making a massive impression at Bournemouth.
And now, sources close to Bournemouth have confirmed whether he will look to move on from the Vitality Stadium this summer.
Blow for Tottenham as Iraola looks set to stay
This is Iraola’s third full season in the Premier League. Under his leadership, Bournemouth have adopted an eye-catching brand of attacking football while also propelling the likes of Antoine Semenyo, Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen and Ilia Zabarnyi to superstardom, among others.
With his contract set to expire this summer, the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham – who are both on the lookout for permanent managers – have declared their interest.
However, a report from TEAMtalk confirms that Iraola could now stay, with Sporting Director Tiago Pinto making a big pitch to retain the services of the Spaniard.
The source close to Bournemouth said via TEAMtalk: “There’s a real belief that Iraola is buying into the project. The club is showing him that, despite the departures, the ambition is to build something lasting and competitive.
“The signings and the backing from the board are all part of the plan to keep him at the helm.”
Tottenham still have time in managerial search
Ideally, Tottenham will want a new manager in place before the start of pre-season, giving them the best part of four months to identify the ideal candidate.
From their shortlist, the likes of De Zerbi, Terzic and Rose are currently without a job, making the process rather straightforward.
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Iraola looks like he could be out of the running if he renews with Bournemouth. In Pochettino’s case, it will depend on how far the USA progress in the World Cup and whether or not they decide to keep him after, presenting them with a problem to solve.
In the meantime, Tottenham’s focus will be to secure their Premier League status. A 4-1 defeat to Arsenal was hardly the dream start Tudor would have hoped for, but with a game against Fulham on the horizon, the North London outfit will look to pull up their socks to secure all three points on their travels.
