Crystal Palace have reportedly reached an agreement with Andoni Iraola to become their new manager, days after Jean-Philippe Mateta’s second-half tap-in delivered a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final. The timing matters because Palace have just added a European trophy to a season that already brought the FA Cup, and they now face the bigger task of leading the club into next season’s Europa League.
Mateta’s goal gave Palace their second major trophy in a year, coming after they beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at the end of last season. Steve Parish said the club wants to keep pushing on after that success, and Europe now makes the managerial decision more urgent than routine. Oliver Glasner has already left Selhurst Park, leaving Palace to secure a coach who can handle a new level of expectation.
Iraola fits the profile Palace have been chasing. He stepped down as Bournemouth boss at the end of the season after taking them into the Europa League, and that record is part of why Palace have made him their preferred choice. Reports have said the club’s proposal included assurances that he would have significant influence over recruitment, a sign Palace want the new coach to shape more than matchdays.
But the move is not done. Sport reported that Palace are still waiting for Iraola’s answer after making their offer, while Daniele Longo suggested the two sides had already reached an agreement and that the Spaniard had not yet responded. Late on Wednesday, Gazetta dello Sport went a step further and said Iraola was likely to be announced on Thursday, but the delay leaves Palace with a live opening they do not want to drag past the weekend.
If Iraola turns them down, Palace have already lined up alternatives. Frank Lampard, Kieran McKenna, Pierre Sage, Sean Dyche and Thomas Frank are all on the club’s Plan B list, but none carries the same sense of momentum as the Bournemouth boss. AC Milan are also said to be interested after sacking Massimiliano Allegri for failing to qualify for the Champions League, which could complicate Palace’s attempt to close the deal quickly.
Palace have the trophy, the Europa League place and the ambition. What they do not yet have is the manager they appear to want to lead the next stage, and the answer they are waiting for is now the one that will define how quickly this new phase begins.
