Tottenham identify Premier League boss as top target to replace Ange Postecoglou | Football

Tottenham have not made a final decision on Ange Postecoglou’s future, but if they axe the Australian they want Andoni Iraola as his replacement.

Spurs are having an extremely disappointing season, sitting 14th in the Premier League table with just 10 wins from their 29 outings.

They have suffered with a lot of injuries, but even with those problems there is no arguing that Postecoglou’s side has underperformed.

There is a chance to save the season as they remain in the Europa League, where they will take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

Postecoglou’s job may well depend on how Spurs do in that competition as lifting the trophy would certainly see him stay at the club but anything less may not be enough.

If the Spurs hierarchy decide to swing the axe at the end of the season then they have already identified Bournemouth boss Iraola as their number one target, report The Athletic.

The 42-year-old has impressed since moving to the Premier League with the Cherries in 2023, launching a challenge for a European football at the south coast club.

The Spaniard won seven caps for his country during his epic playing career with Athletic Bilbao, before moving into management in 2018.

His CV includes stints with AEK Larnaca, Mirandes, Rayo Vallecano and now Bournemouth so it would be a step up to a club the size of Spurs, but they feel he is ready to make the jump.

Iraola has a contract until next year at Bournemouth so Tottenham would need to meet his £10m release clause if they want him this summer.

It could be that Iraola does not fancy the move and Spurs have other targets, with Fulham’s Marco Silva and Brentford’s Thomas Frank also believed to be candidates.

Clearly proven Premier League experience is a key factor for the decision-makers at Tottenham after appointing the current boss who had never managed in a top European league previously.

Silva and Frank have both regularly been linked with moves to bigger clubs due to the jobs they have done with the Cottagers and the Bees respectively.

Frank was linked with both the Manchester United and Chelsea jobs just last year and spoke out about how content he is at Brentford, but admitted it would be silly to rule out the possibility of a move in future.

‘I’m happy here. I’ve said it many times and I mean it,’ the Dane told The Athletic.

‘It’s close to the perfect football life. I’m not in any rush or searching to do something else but I also think I’ve learned in life I’m open for what can happen.

‘I can see myself being here for a long period. Can I stay here for seven more years? I don’t know and that’s not that I don’t love Brentford, it’s just: do I want to try something different?

‘But I’m very aware the grass is not greener in the garden next door even if it looks like it. Then you get in there, take a closer look and see there are a lot of weeds in the grass.’

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