Brighton's Premier League rivals secure manager for the next two years

Brighton’s top flight rivals Bournemouth have confirmed their boss Andoni Iraola has signed a new two-year contract at the Vitality Stadium.

The Spaniard, who took over last summer and guided the Cherries to their highest points total in the Premier League, has committed his future to the south-coast club until the end of the 2025-26 season.

Iraola told told the club website: “I’m very happy to sign the contract. For me, it is a matter of renewing the confidence from both sides.

“We have had a good experience with our first season together in the Premier League, and I am happy that both sides want to continue the relationship further.

“I’m proud that we achieved the points record. We are playing in a difficult competition, with very good opposition. The season started slowly, but I think we improved a lot and are playing in the right way.

“We have to continue improving the team, because the level of the Premier League is really high.

“I would like to thank the supporters for everything in our first year together. I am thankful that they were supporting us even in the beginning when we were not winning games, and that they have been very helpful to the players for the whole year.”

Iraola signed a two-year contract at Bournemouth last June following a successful spell with Spanish club Rayo Vallecano.

The Cherries failed to win any of their first nine matches but their form since has been so impressive that they could yet secure a top-10 finish, while Iraola has been shortlisted for the Manager of the Season award.