Ex-scout: Andoni Iraola could sign £46m Premier League star for Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur have made Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola their top target to replace Ange Postecoglou, according to reports, and now speculation is already beginning to surround who the tactician could potentially bring in if he’s appointed.

Tottenham identify Andoni Iraola as leading managerial candidate

Postecoglou is under mounting pressure ahead of the conclusion of this Premier League campaign, with the Australian attracting fierce criticism after a dismal 2024/25 season.

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The Lilywhites chairman personally met with him yesterday.

Spurs are 14th in the league and have lost 15 games in the top flight alone. Only the division’s bottom four sides have tasted defeat on more occasions than the Lilywhites, which makes for very grim reading in the eyes of Postecoglou, who’s sweating over his future in N17.

“They play a high press game, which is probably detrimental to injuries anyway,” said pundit Martin Keown, questioning Postecoglou’s lack of tactical versatility.

“And the two central defenders, they don’t come up and stand sideways on ready to drop – they’re square on and it’s demanding. Van de Ven, the amount of times he’s pulled a hamstring doing that.

“When a manager is just hard-fast, seems stubborn, doesn’t want to adjust to any tactics… there’s got to be more than that to management. I’ve not done it myself so it’s easy sitting here saying it.

“But we do question it because we can’t believe that you don’t adjust.”

His long-term stay at Tottenham is said to be in “serious doubt”, according to The Athletic, who also state that Iraola is the leading candidate to potentially replace Postecoglou.

The 42-year-old has guided Bournemouth through an impressive campaign, despite being hamstrung by their own injury problems, and there is still every chance that they can qualify for Europe.

Some reports have suggested that Tottenham have made contact with Iraola ahead of the summer, so his potential hire is gaining real traction amid doubts surrounding Postecoglou’s position.

Andoni Iraola could sign Justin Kluivert for Tottenham

Now, some pundits are starting to wonder who the Spaniard could bring with him to north London if he does end up stepping into the Tottenham dugout.

Speaking to Tottenham News, the club’s former scout, Bryan King, has claimed that Cherries winger Justin Kluivert could follow Andoni Iraola to N17.

The Netherlands international, rumoured to command a price tag of around £46 million, has bagged 12 goals and six assists in the Premier League – marking himself out as a star player – and King believes that Iraola may look to sign Kluivert for Tottenham if he’s appointed.

“If Iraola goes to Spurs, he could bring Kluivert with him,” King said.

“I think that is just common sense. However, if the manager is going, how many players are Bournemouth going to allow him to take? It is all hearsay at the moment. Until we know exactly what is happening with Postecoglou, we can talk all day. However, until a decision is made on Postecoglou, watch this space.”