Andoni Iraola has confirmed that he will be departing from Bournemouth at the end of the 2025/26 season, with rumours circling that he could make an Old Trafford arrival.
Manchester United, currently led by interim manager Michael Carrick, could make the move for Iraola ahead of next year, and the Spaniard’s first potential signings have become clearer.
The Red Devils have had an impressive start to life under Carrick, currently placed third in the Premier League table on 55 points, but a recent Old Trafford 2-1 loss to rivals Leeds United threatened to disrupt that harmony.
Andoni Iraola’s first potential signings as Manchester United boss revealed
The signs of an impending Manchester United downfall under Michael Carrick have become more apparent in recent weeks - after taking 19 points in their first seven Premier League games under him, that tally has dropped to just four points in their last four.
In March, they lost 2-1 away at St James Park to a 10-men Newcastle, conceding to a brilliant William Osula strike in the 90th minute.
Carrick, who ranked at No.16 in FourFourTwo’s list of the best Premier League midfielders of all time, is now rumoured to be replaced by departing Cherries boss Andoni Iraola in the summer, and the Spaniard could bring two of his Bournemouth men with him.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Iraola may entice Marcos Senesi and Eli Junior Kroupi to follow him to Old Trafford, with both players being considered by the Manchester club.
Acquiring Senesi would be a relatively straightforward process for the Red Devils — the 28-year-old Argentine is set to become a free agent in the summer — but obtaining Kroupi’s signature could be a more complicated task.
The 19-year-old French forward, who has scored 10 goals in 27 Premier League matches this season, is tied to Bournemouth until 2030.
Kroupi may have turned Manchester United heads by scoring in both games against the club this season - an 84th-minute equaliser in last year’s 4-4 draw at Old Trafford, then again on the south coast last month in a 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.
While Iraola’s first two potential signings look promising for Manchester United, current interim boss Michael Carrick has been stepping up his own efforts to add to the ever expanding roster of youth talent at Old Trafford.
Last month, Manchester United reportedly flew to Norway in the hopes of adding a talented African teenager to their defensive ranks.
Youth acquisitions appear to be a club priority after INEOS took control of the club’s football operations in 2024, with Manchester United also taking a promising Irish defender on trial at Carrington earlier this year.
The Red Devils appear almost certain to secure Champions League football for next year, but a third-placed finish after a mid-season managerial change will surely leave the club hoping for a possible title charge in the 2026-27 season.
Michael Carrick’s men return to Premier League action on Saturday with an away trip to Stanford Bridge.
