Chelsea were linked with Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, but Crystal Palace have shown a statement of intent by offering him a contract.
The Blues' hunt for a new head coach began following Liam Rosenior's sacking in April. Iraola was said to be shortlisted by BlueCo, alongside the likes of Xabi Alonso, Francesco Farioli and Marco Silva.
But The Times reported earlier this month that Iraola would need convincing to take the Chelsea job, possibly because of how little influence previous managers have had during the recruitment process at Stamford Bridge.
In any case, it appears the West London side have discarded the Bournemouth boss from their shortlist, with the Eagles moving to hire him as Oliver Glasner's replacement.
Crystal Palace offer Andoni Iraola three-year contract
According to The Guardian's Ed Aarons, Crystal Palace have offered Iraola a 'lucrative' three-year contract after holding initial talks with the Spaniard's representatives in the past few weeks.
Crystal Palace to offer Andoni Iraola lucrative deal to succeed Oliver Glasner https://t.co/mhLwL0HByz
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) May 9, 2026
The report claims that Palace have identified Iraola as their 'preferred target', believing that the prospect of European football and a big-money deal will persuade him to join the South London club.
Glasner's men booked their place in the Europa Conference League final on Thursday night with a 5-2 aggregate victory over Shakhtar Donetsk. They will play Rayo Vallecano on May 27 for a chance to win their second trophy in as many seasons and book their place in the Europa League.
Iraola could also be celebrating European football, too, as his Cherries side are currently sixth in the Premier League, four points ahead of Chelsea after their 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
The Bournemouth boss could even bring Champions League football to the Vitality Stadium if they finish sixth and Aston Villa win the Europa League final against Freiburg.
Chelsea need a proven winner
Chelsea have a fight on their hands to secure European qualification and might need to beat Manchester City in next weekend's FA Cup final to do so.
That could dictate what sort of manager the Blues can attract to Stamford Bridge. Alonso, of course, is the ideal candidate, having showcased his trophy-winning expertise at Bayer Leverkusen.
But just like with many of their managerial targets, there's a reluctance to work under BlueCo's regime, given there isn't the freedom to operate in the transfer market.
Either way, Chelsea need to hire a proven winner, someone arguably older who can take charge of a fractured dressing room and instil discipline into the squad.
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