Iraola will reach the very top after transforming Bournemouth, says Adams

Andoni Iraola will coach at the very elite level after taking Bournemouth to "new heights" throughout his three-year spell at the Vitality Stadium.

That is the view of United States international Tyler Adams, who has played a key role in Iraola's plans since becoming one of the Spaniard's first signings back in 2023.

This will be Iraola's final week in the Bournemouth dugout, with a home game against Manchester City and a trip to Nottingham Forest rounding out his stay with the Cherries.

Since succeeding Gary O'Neil, Iraola has led Bournemouth to finishes of 12th in 2023-24 and ninth in 2024-25. They look set to better that placing this season, as they sit sixth in the table ahead of their final two fixtures. 

The Cherries also need just two points to break their record Premier League points tally for a third successive season, ahead of Iraola walking away and former Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose taking charge.

And Adams does not believe the quality of Iraola's work on the south coast can be overstated, telling ESPN: "I'll miss him a ton. I mean, he's a great guy, a great person. 

"Football aside, just the conversations that we have and how he's helped me as a player and a person...

"I knew from the first moment that I spoke to him when I was switching clubs and coming here that his ideas fit the way that I wanted to play.

"I didn't think that it was going to translate this well, and I was going to play such an important role in the way that we do things. 

"So yeah, he's an incredible manager. He's going to coach big teams whenever he wants to take that next step or where he's going to go. 

"It will be interesting, but he's amazing. He's really changed the direction of the club and taken it to new heights."

Iraola has won 41 of his 112 Premier League games in charge of Bournemouth – since he took the reins, only six managers have overseen more victories in the English top flight.

They are Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta (72 each), Unai Emery (57), Eddie Howe (52), Arne Slot and Marco Silva (both 42). 

Iraola has been linked with several big jobs since announcing his intention to leave Bournemouth.

However, many of those may soon be filled with Chelsea appointing Xabi Alonso, Manchester United looking likely to hand Michael Carrick a permanent contract and Real Madrid nearing a deal to reappoint Jose Mourinho.

Bayer Leverkusen have been tipped as another potential landing spot, with Kasper Hjulmand expected to depart.