‘Don’t pay attention’ – Premier League manager shuts down Real Madrid links | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti might have passed the litmus test by beating Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoffs and securing a berth in the Round of 16, where they will take on city rivals Atletico Madrid.

However, Ancelotti’s job at Real Madrid is far from safe, with links to Xabi Alonso continuing to persist.

Earlier this week, though, reports claimed that Andoni Iraola emerged as a surprising candidate to replace the Italian mastermind next season.

Formerly of Rayo Vallecano, Iraola is enjoying an excellent season at Bournemouth so far, having been the brains behind the team’s brilliant performances that sees them stand fifth in the Premier League table.

In light of his success, Iraola has been recently linked with a move to Real Madrid, with many considering him as a replacement for Ancelotti.

Iraola denies Real Madrid links

However, in a recent media interaction, Iraola completely denied the speculations linking him to a move to Santiago Bernabeu, passing them off as mere rumours.

Andoni Iraola not thinking about the Real Madrid links now (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

“I don’t pay attention to these things. I’ve been in this business for many years as a player and as a coach, and I know how these things work and what matters and what doesn’t,” said the Bournemouth manager after today’s training session.

Iraola’s statement clearly suggests that he is not thinking about leaving Bournemouth right now or his future, for that matter.

“For me, nothing changes. The important thing this week is tomorrow against Wolves. It’s going to be a demanding game and it will be a good opportunity for us to continue to add points,” he added.

With 43 points collected from just 25 matches, Iraola’s men stand an excellent chance of potentially sealing a top four place and participate in the Champions League next season.

Should the Cherries achieve the goal, it can’t be entirely ruled out that Real Madrid could consider going after him in the coming summer.

Source: Mundo Deportivo