Departing Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has described securing European football as the ideal send-off as he prepares to leave the club at the end of the season.

Iraola, who joined the Cherries in 2023 as a replacement for Gary O'Neil, will exit when his contract expires this summer. With two Premier League matches remaining, Bournemouth sit sixth — a UEFA Europa League position — though they remain within striking distance of the UEFA Champions League, sitting just four points adrift, while the UEFA Europa Conference League is also a possible destination.

There is even a scenario in which sixth place could deliver Champions League football. Should Aston Villa defeat Freiburg in the Europa League final and finish fifth in the league, Bournemouth's current position would be sufficient to earn a spot in Europe's premier club competition.