Andoni Iraola has officially communicated to AC Milan that he will not accept their offer of becoming the new head coach.
Milan made a strong push to try and hire Iraola as the replacement for Massimiliano Allegri, who was sacked on Monday less than 24 hours after the defeat to Cagliari, one that completed the collapse and meant no Champions League football for 2026-27.
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After initial positive signs, things seemed to hit a wall with Iraola, who left Bournemouth following the conclusion of the season. It appears that he’s waiting for a better offer from the Premier League, but is also in advanced talks with Bayer Leverkusen.
Iraola says no
In the meantime, he has now formally said no to the Rossoneri’s advances. Matteo Moretto and Fabrizio Romano provided all the latest updates in a video on their YouTube channel (via MilanNews).
Moretto: “Between yesterday and today, Cardinale, Ibrahimovic, and some collaborators have been making repeated calls, video calls, and meetings with sporting directors, potential new CEOs, coaches, and scouts. AC Milan urgently needs to fill these power gaps.”
Romano: “Iraola’s name has been mentioned for days, and we’ve said that AC Milan met with him secretly in London. AC Milan made an attempt for Iraola, but the words ‘imminent, close, agreement’ never came from us, because Iraola has at least two other offers.
“One leads to Crystal Palace, the other to Bayern Leverkusen, while we wait to see what happens at Liverpool, where Arne Slot is currently staying. Should sensational developments arise between now and June, or mid-June, we’ll see.”
Moretto: “At the beginning, in the weeks leading up to the move, Iraola spoke with certain figures within the club, then those figures were changed, and now he’s spoken with others within the club.
“I believe that Iraola’s attitude to the game, his ideas, his ideals and the organisation ultimately led him to reject Milan. Iraola prefers other career options.”
Romano: “Leverkusen currently think they’re a bit ahead of Palace in the race for Iraola. Yesterday, there was a lot of talk about Palace, but in reality, Leverkusen are in the running. Palace would give Iraola a lot of money, but they also have to make it a matter of the power he can have in building his team.
“There are different considerations, it’s clear that Italy is currently significantly behind in terms of being the new Xabi Alonso at Bayer and deciding everything, or staying in the Premier League, where between Palace and also possible scenarios at Liverpool, we’ll see if there are any surprises.”
There is no way that people aren’t interested in working with Ibrahimovic. Who wouldn’t like to work with the guy that will trash you in the media when he gets the chance and will of course turn his back on you the moment things go a bit south? Milan has become a sh*thole because mo*ons keep being involved with the club. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a halfwit, a clown, that was an amazing footballer. His iq is same as Cassano, they are both stupid people that had a talent. One did good with his talent, the other one not so much. They are both media personalities because clowns work best on TV. To entertain, not give intelligent takes. Milan has people like that in charge of the club now, looking for the new manager. 😂😂😂😂😂 Yes, Guardiola can’t wait to manage a club where Ibrahimovic is in charge. I think he’d rather cut of his both arms and legs than do that.
But it seems that even Iraola doesn’t care about the Milan setup. We’ll find out who else soon. The World Cup begins in exactly 2 weeks, they will start begging sh*t managers within 7 days.
Xavi also rejected milan for the same reason.
When I hear what people like you say about Ibra, I wonder who in his right mind would be satisfied with the way the club was going with the last 4 coaches we had – Pioli, Fonseca, Conceicao, Allegri. Allegri’s football was the worst. Milan was on a free fall, but, a few results here and there didn’t allow some fans to see it. But, if like Ibra, most of us were complaining and criticizing the way the team played, why, then, are you making it look like Ibra is the Devil. A former Milan player, like most fans, only wants the best for the club. I would rather we play in Europa League, than get disgraced in the Champions League, with Allegri in charge. Tell me what big football club has not experimented with different coaches in the last 10 years, aside Man. City and Atletico.
“Ibra” was telling in interviews he is in charge 2 years ago and that he hired Fonseca. Those managers did not fall out of thin air and Zlatan Ibrahimovic didn’t join Milan management 3 days ago, or even 365 days ago.
Wtf are you talking about? He is a player legend, clown guy with lower iq and obviously bad in this job. All of these 3 are true at the same time.
“Allegri’s football was the worst. Milan was on a free fall, but, a few results here and there didn’t allow some fans to see it.” And? Who picked him? Me? Are you special?
“But, if like Ibra, most of us were complaining and criticizing the way the team played, ”
Where did you see him criticize it? Show me.
You are writing completely unrelated things to what I wrote. What does Allegris football have to do with Zlatan Ibrahimovic being in charge at Milan? Did I say that Allegri should stay? Can you show me?
You are literally projecting half of the things you wrote. No, I didn’t say that. Learn to read, it would be time.
The funny thing is that your entire argument is based on insults rather than facts.
You call Zlatan stupid, a clown, a halfwit, yet somehow he built a career that took him to Ajax, Juventus, Inter, Barcelona, Milan, PSG and Manchester United. He worked under some of the greatest managers in football history and earned their respect. That doesn’t happen if you’re an idiot.
You don’t have to like him, and it’s perfectly fair to question whether he’ll succeed in management. But acting as if one of the most successful footballers of his generation has nothing valuable to offer because you personally dislike his personality is ridiculous.
And let’s be honest: if Zlatan was truly as incompetent as you claim, people wouldn’t spend so much time talking about him. The reality is that he remains one of the most influential figures associated with Milan, which is exactly why he triggers such emotional reactions from people like you.
Criticize his decisions if you want. That’s football. But replacing arguments with childish insults usually says more about the person writing the comment than the person being discussed.
The reason people in here are trashing everybody in Milan management instead of supporting the club is because of Maldini, and all the Italian mentality where they don’t like too much foreigners in their league. That’s one of the reason Italian football is in this low. They refuse to accept the reality. Even Berlusconi admitted that if the Italian don’t change their outdated mentality, their football will die and assist other Leagues to rise. Look at it now, even your champion can’t compete in any front with an English bottom team in terms of money. No one outside of Italy wants to sit in front of their TV to watch any game in Serie A, and yet you think youre better off.
Allegri was destroying Milan with his old school style of football. The worst I’ve seen Milan play. We kept complaining and don’t want him gone because he is italian. The media and former coaches in Italy always find a way to defend him unlike the foreign coaches.
Your misery just started because Cardinale and Ibra won’t go anywhere. Go support other teams
No id*ot, but because Cardinale bought a Serie A winning club and it went backwards. Stop pretending you understand anything. Look at this stupidity you wrote. I am not even Italian re*ard. Most people here aren’t. That is your stupid projection because you’re “intelligent”. Lie so you can pretend you know “the reason”. Anyone with an at least average IQ can understand why people don’t like these 2. You can’t.
If you had a big career in football it means you’re intelligent? How? A lot of footballers are as stupid as it gets, but they can play football amazingly. How does that translate to being a manager? if that was the case every single world class footballer could be a coach, manager, CEO etc. 99% of them can’t.
He has been there for 2 years now. He failed.
Influential? Like I’ve said, clowns are shown most on TV. If you are loud and ridiculous people watch that more. Scandals and bad news are even more attractive. That is interesting to people. One of the most visible people on Italian TV is Antonio Cassano, you want to tell me he is also super intelligent? In the end he was more talented than Ibrahimovic so it must be? Your idea is that he is competent because people talk about him. It’s stupid.
Which insults? You think Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a highly intelligent person? Listen to his interviews, he isn’t.
I know you love him but that isn’t my problem. I am not here because of Zlatan Ibrahimovic but the club, and he did sh*t since he was put in a position where he can make decisions. He is good to run and chase the ball, score goals. Make intelligent decision – NO. Evidently.
And every time I see a stupid person I’m going to call them stupid. Couldn’t care less is it Zlatan Ibrahimovic or the guy in comments. You can worship the low iq ex footballer as some sort of god. But that just tells how intelligent you are. Or how what you wrote “usually says more about the person writing the comment than the person being discussed.”
Yes, Zlatan fanboy, all clear.
This is so evidence that Cardinale is messing up !
Is he there because he loves the club or is he there to make money ?
Where are the GIANTS AC Milan ? We miss the era of Berlusconi and Galliani .
They are predictably experiencing rejection everywhere and I absolutely love it. 😂
Like I said, it’s because no one is buying their BS, especially with Ibra in charge. Everyone understands that a fund owner has no real sporting aspirations.
He may pull the wool over the eyes of tifosi and curva with the immediate firings, but there’s still no plan or project. And intelligent directors and coaches, like Iraola understand that. In fact the longer this goes on, the more the word will get out to avoid Milan like the plague that it has become.
Smart move by the Spaniard.
Who would’ve thought coaches around the world follow football news. Fact is, Gerry sacked one of football goats like he was nothing, changed 4 coaches in 4 seasons and just fired his whole management (thankgod). But as much as the latter is welcomed by us fans, it paints a different picture for people in business. It makes us look weak, unstable, toxic and unpredictable. And who would want to work in that kind of environment. Not someone with ambitions.
The best possible solution is to hire a competent CEO and let him hire SD and coach. As long as Ibra is involved, no one will come.
So if he takes Bayer it’s not because his family wants to remain in England. It’s because he can see a project. If ibra is in charge of engaging candidates it’s already the first problem. It’s like being interviewed by the muppets. I would love to be a fly on the wall. Pure comedy. He commanded respect on the pitch but in a suit I imagine he’s like a bully boy version of David Brent or Michael Scott. Whoever thought guardiola is even a possibility is off their head. Imagine Ibra would revel in dangling that sword above his head as if he’d ever get the chance to. Muppet, the lot of them.
You meant the 90’s? Because the club was in a mess before Berlusconi sold to the Chinese. Get the fact. Under Berlusconi and Galiani Milan where already in sh**t that’s why they sold it and said they were trying to hold on to it but the football landscape had changed and Italy is behind and don’twant to change. You forgot that Milan couldn’t even buy descent players under Berlusconi between 2015 and 2018? Traoré, Constant, MBaye, and so on
No we mean the 60s. Remember? Why are you even trying when you can’t do 2+2. Embarrassing.