Andoni Iraola replaces Gary O'Neil as AFC Bournemouth head coach

Andoni arrives at the Vitality Stadium just a matter of hours after the club sacked O'Neil, who helped them avoid relegation last season.

BOURNEMOUTH BOSS: Andoni Iraola during the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. (Photo by Ruben de la Fuente Perez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

AFC Bournemouth have announced the appointment of Andoni Iraola as their new head coach on a two-year deal.

Andoni arrives at the Vitality Stadium just a matter of hours after the club sacked Gary O'Neil, who helped them avoid relegation to the championship last season.

The Spaniard takes over the Premier League side following the expiry of his contract at Rayo Vallecano, where his three-year spell ended with an 11th-placed finish in La Liga last season.

He earned promotion to the top flight in his first season with the Madrid club in 2020/21, before taking the team to the Copa Del Rey semi-finals in the following campaign.

The former right-back also enjoyed an impressive and long playing career which included more than 500 appearances for Athletic Bilbao and seven caps for Spain.

"We're so excited to welcome Andoni to the club," AFC Bournemouth owner and chairman Bill Foley told the club's official website.

Bournemouth sacked head coach Gary O’Neil hours before Andoni Iraola's appointment. Photo credit: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.

"With his contract in Spain coming to an end this summer we wanted to act quickly. He was highly sought after by other clubs across the continent, and his style of play has been an important factor in making this decision.

"His achievements in Spain have certainly been very impressive, and we're confident that he is the right man to lead our next chapter.

"We have identified a number of targets in the transfer market, which along with our January additions will supplement our strong playing squad to give Andoni the best chance to consolidate our Premier League status and keep progressing."

Earlier on Monday the Cherries confirmed that they had parted company with O'Neil.

O'Neil left the club after overseeing 37 matches last season, initially on an interim basis before being formally appointed to his first head coaching role in November.

A return of 10 wins and six draws in the Premier League was enough to maintain the club's position in the top flight, effectively securing survival with four matches remaining following a memorable run of results in April.

Foley explained: "Gary's achievement last season is one I will always be grateful for. This has been a difficult decision, but it has been made with great consideration to best position ourselves ahead of the coming season.

"As a club, we have put plans in place for long-term success with improvements being made to infrastructure, most notably the development of a new state-of-the-art training facility and the ongoing discussions around upgrades to our stadium.

"We have also identified a number of significant targets in the transfer market this summer and believe this change in direction will provide us with the best platform from which to build.

"Gary will go on to have a long career as a head coach or manager, but we feel that, at this moment in time, a change is in the best interests of this football club. I would like to place on record my thanks to Gary and wish him all the best for the future."