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Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

Mon 4 May 2026 7:00, UK

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Andoni Iraola is set to take his time over deciding his next club despite approaches from Chelsea and Crystal Palace, sources have told Football Insider.

The 43-year-old recently announced his decision to leave Bournemouth upon the expiry of his contract as he aims to take on a new challenge in the summer.

However, given the level of interest in his signature, he is set to assess a number of options and will delay a final decision until he is certain of his next steps.

As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, Chelsea may be made to wait before they find out his stance on being their next manager.

Liam Rosenior’s departure last month has forced the Blues to consider a number of options, with multiple targets in mind as Chelsea weigh up their next manager.

Could Chelsea beat rivals to land Andoni Iraola?

Football Insider revealed on 29 April that Iraola would struggle to turn down Chelsea, with the step up to a top Premier League club very much part of his plans.

The Blues have been in contact with the Spaniard’s representatives to assess whether he would be interested in taking over at Stamford Bridge next summer.

While there is no further clarity on whether he would be the top target for Chelsea, with other options also in the frame, they are unlikely to find out any time soon.

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “Chelsea, following the departure of Liam Rosenior, are also interested in the Spaniard.

“For Iraola, he’s not going to rush into anything.

“He’s going to have lots of options and offers probably in the summer, not just from the Premier League, there’ll be interest from some top European leagues in him as well.

“He’ll have to be convinced by the project, but look, Chelsea are a huge club, huge ambitions.

“If it’s a project that he sees as an exciting one and something that fits the profile for him, you would probably have to say they would probably be favourites.

“But as I said, I don’t think Iraola has made any decision on his future right now as well, he will sit down and weigh up his options and see which best project in the club suits him.”

Who else is on Chelsea’s list of managerial targets?

Iraola is far from the only name on Chelsea’s list of managerial targets, and if they ultimately miss out on the Spaniard, it may not come as a massive blow.

While Iraola ranks highly in their thinking, they are also assessing the likes of Xabi Alonso, Felipe Luis and Fulham’s Marco Silva, all of whom could be available.

Meanwhile, Football Insider revealed on 24 April that Chelsea are strong admirers of Cesc Fabregas, who has enjoyed an impressive season with Como in Serie A.

Como are currently sitting in fifth place in the league, and remain in the hunt for Champions League qualification, with Fabregas earning high praise for their form.

The Italian club’s recent success, combined with the respect he would command and knowledge of Chelsea from his time there as a player, have made him a key target.