One team Iraola has been heavily linked with is Athletic Club.<\/p>\n
Ernesto Valverde announced in March he would leave the club in the summer, bringing an end to his latest four-year spell in Bilbao. <\/p>\n
Born in the Basque Country, Iraola has strong ties to the club, making 510 appearances for them between 2003 and 2015.<\/p>\n
His family’s desire to return to Spain is understood to be among the factors Iraola considered when deciding to leave Bournemouth<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reacting to Valverde’s departure, Iraola said: “It affects me probably as a supporter because I support the club.<\/p>\n “I’ve been playing there for a lot of years and has been a surprise also for me. It’s my biggest reference in football, Ernesto. It’s a decision that he has made, but it’s not affecting me apart from the supporter side, let’s say.”<\/p>\n Smith added: “It’s the club where he learned a lot of his footballing principles. A lot of the elements of his game comes from [Marcelo] Bielsa’s Athletic team.<\/p>\n “That job is available, if he wants to go back to Spain. There will be a massive, emotional pull for that job.” <\/p>\n But interest from Spain might not just be limited to Bilbao. <\/p>\n