It was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Andoni Iraola is available for work this summer once Bournemouth draw their 2025/26 campaign to a close.

The Spaniard has spent two seasons in the Premier League and has impressed many within the game at just how well he's adapted to life in Europe's toughest league.

At 43 years old, his decision to depart the Cherries has reportedly already piqued the interest of Manchester United, with the Red Devils making an exhaustive list of possible candidates to take over as head coach next campaign.

While Michael Carrick has done a brilliant job since taking the reins from Rúben Amorim in January, amid just two wins in five games, some question whether he is the right fit long-term for the club compared to an established Premier League boss.

United and Bournemouth have been involved in two games of madness this season. Late last month, a 2-2 draw was marred by plenty of refereeing controversy, but it was the tie at Old Trafford in December that had everyone glued to their screens.

After Amad opened the scoring early on, Antoine Semenyo struck to make it 1-1, before Casemiro rose just before half-time to head home. Then, goals from Evanilson and Marcus Tavernier handed Boronemouth a lead within minutes of the second half.

United fought back, with a brilliant Bruno Fernandes free kick and Matheus Cunha finish sending the Reds 4-3 up with 10 minutes to play, although Eli Junior Kroupi's late strike made it 4-4.

Senne Lammens then made two crazy saves in added time to keep the point for United in what many have since dubbed the game of the season.

Prior to this madness, Iraola waxed lyrical about United's front line, singling out Amad as United's most dangerous threat, above the likes of Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

The signings they have made up front — Mbeumo, Cunha, [and Benjamin] Šeško [are threatening] — but especially players like Amad, who is now even more important," the Spaniard said late last year.

“He is an even bigger threat, and we have to be ready to defend difficult duels for the full-backs and for the centre-backs because you have to defend some very good players in open spaces.”

Iraola's comments came at a time when Amad wasn't playing as a natural right-winger under Carrick, but instead as a wing-back alongside Mbeumo on the right flank, making him a unique and incredibly hard threat to stop.

But since United's switch from a back-three formation to a classic 4-2-3-1, Amad has struggled to be as impactful in games due to the major change in instructions.

Although it's his most natural position, his only significant breakthrough in Red came once Amorim joined United, so the Ivorian international is yet to really have any time at Old Trafford to consistently play as a right winger.

The changes and turbulence at United over the last few months have impacted multiple players, although Amad will not be one to worry about.

Once United have a pre-season with their next permanent head coach, the 23-year-old will have plenty of time to reset, develop, and adjust his game in a much more settled environment and hit the ground running next campaign.