London, May 27: AC Milan is making strides to appoint Andoni Iraola as their next head coach. A second face-to-face meeting between the Spaniard and club representatives is scheduled to take place in London shortly. Owner Gerry Cardinale aims to act swiftly to fend off competition from Crystal Palace.
According to reports from Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Sport Italia, Milan’s initial contact with Iraola occurred on May 15. During that meeting, Cardinale, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and advisor Massimo Calvelli met the former Bournemouth coach in London to express their interest.
Milan is reportedly prepared to offer a two or three-year contract exceeding €3 million per season, with additional bonuses linked to Champions League qualification.
The main challenge lies with Iraola’s family, who are currently settled in England. Crystal Palace, also pursuing the 43-year-old following Oliver Glasner’s departure, is looking to leverage this situation. Milan recognizes that the Premier League side poses a significant threat and is eager to expedite discussions.
Iraola’s track record makes him a compelling choice for Milan. Meanwhile, Cardinale and Ibrahimovic have traveled to Vienna to discuss a potential sporting director role with Austria’s national team coach, Ralf Rangnick. Rangnick, who faced challenges during his tenure at Manchester United, has since rejuvenated his reputation by guiding Austria to Euro 2024 and the World Cup. Other candidates for Milan’s director of football position include former Liverpool CEO Ian Ayre and ex-Atalanta recruitment chief Lee Congerton.
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