Leeds United were prepared trigger to pay the £7 million release clause in Andoni Iraola’s contract but the Rayo Vallecano coach is now expected to stay in La Liga rather than head for the Premier League, according to Marca.
Clearly, Leeds are willing to put their money where their mouth is in pursuit of a new head coach.
Marcelo Bielsa, lured to Elland Road following extensive talks with Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta back in 2018, became the best-paid manager in the club’s entire history, his £8 million-a-year wage dwarfing than the respective pay-packets of Thomas Tuchel and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer (The Sun).
Iraola, a disciple of Bielsa and a former member of his outstanding Athletic Bilbao side, has a £7 million release clause in his Rayo Vallecano contract. One that, if triggered, would have made the ex-Spain international the fourth most-expensive managerial appointment in the Premier League era, after Brendan Rodgers (Leicester City), Andre Villas-Boas, and Graham Potter (both Chelsea).
And Leeds, Marca say, were willing to pay said clause. Iraola is, furthermore, ‘attracted to the project’. But one of Europe’s finest up-and-coming tacticians is still in no mood to force his way out of Vallecas with things going so swimmingly.
Andoni Iraola could now stay at Rayo Vallecano despite Leeds interest
Rayo have only ever taken part in European competition once before. And that was over 20 years ago. As things stand, however, Champions League qualification is not out of the question. Rayo are just three points behind Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
Rayo, understandably, are determined to retain Iraola’s services. And they will have been delighted to learn that, while Iraola is keen on the idea of pitting his wits against Pep Guadiola, Erik ten Hag and co in England, he will not demand a mid-season departure from a club who helped give him his big break at La Liga level.
Marca say that Leeds have already turned their attention to alternative options. Feyenoord’s Arne Slot now appears to be the frontrunner. Then again, luring him away from the Eredivisie leaders will be no easy task.
‘Incredible brand of football’
“He’s improved this Rayo team; a limited team in terms of big names and quality. He improves players individually, and got them playing an incredible brand of football. So he’s a really, really strong candidate,” La Liga expert Phil Kitromilides tells talkSPORT.
“(Iraola’s style) is a sort of ‘organised chaos’. He inherited that from his mentor (Bielsa). They get the ball out wide as quickly as possible and use the two-flying full-backs and wingers. Not just getting to the by-line but cutting inside, lots of overlapping.
“It’s an aggressive, high intensity, high press kind of football. He speaks English as well. I think he’s ready.”
Iraola’s contract expires in the summer. There are currently no talks between and Rayo over an extension. But it seems unlikely, given their current predicament, that Leeds would be willing to wait until July with their Premier League status on the line.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
