Soccer-Bournemouth boss Iraola signs new contract until 2026
(Reuters) - Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has signed a contract extension that will keep the Spaniard at the Premier League club until the end of the 2025-26 season, the south coast side said on Monday.

After going without a win in his first nine Premier League matches, during which time Bournemouth earned just three points as they fell into the relegation zone, Iraola has guided the team to their highest points total in the Premier League era.

Bournemouth are 11th in the league standings with 48 points, two more than their previous best total of 46 achieved in the 2016-17 season. They have one match left — a trip to seventh-placed Chelsea on Sunday.

Iraola had replaced Gary O'Neil, who is now at Wolverhampton Wanderers, by initially signing a two-year deal in June. Iraola, 41, previously managed LaLiga club Rayo Vallecano from 2020-2023.

"I'm very happy to sign the contract. For me, it is a matter of renewing the confidence from both sides," Iraola said in a statement.

"I'm proud that we achieved the points record. We are playing in a difficult competition, with very good opposition. The season started slowly, but I think we improved a lot and are playing in the right way.

"We have to continue improving the team, because the level of the Premier League is really high, and I'm looking forward to working with Simon and the rest of the team over the summer to help us do that.

"I would like to thank the supporters for everything in our first year together. I am thankful that they were supporting us even in the beginning when we were not winning games, and that they have been very helpful to the players for the whole year."

(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
(Reuters) -     Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has signed a contract extension that will keep the Spaniard at the Premier League club until the end of the 2025-26 season, the south coast side said on Monday.