Andoni Iraola has already sent Chelsea star message ahead of summer transfer decision

Andoni Iraola is liked by Chelsea as the Blues hierarchy continues the process to appoint a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior following last week’s decision to sack him

Andoni Iraola is one of multiple names on Chelsea’s shortlist for the vacant head coach role this summer, football.london understands.

The Blues have made initial contact with the 43-year-old’s representatives, sources say, to try and gauge interest in succeeding Liam Rosenior in the summer. Last week, Chelsea sacked Rosenior after the 41-year-old’s less than 4-month tenure at Stamford Bridge, despite more than five years remaining on his contract.

Seven defeats in eight matches saw Chelsea pull the plug on Rosenior and the west London club have given Calum McFarlane the interim job until the end of the campaign. In that time, the Blues’ sporting directors will look to source their new permanent head coach, someone who they want to spearhead the club’s ambitious long-term project.

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Iraola is one of the candidates at this early stage, with the Bournemouth manager departing his role at the Vitality Stadium at the end of the season. Marco Silva, whose contract at Fulham is due to expire at the same time, is also on Chelsea’s shortlist, while free agent Xabi Alonso is another name of interest. There are understood to be multiple unnamed candidates at this early stage.

It remains unclear who will be in the Stamford Bridge dugout next season, but it could be Iraola. And if that is the case, it could be good news for Nicolas Jackson, who is set to return from his loan in the coming months.

Jackson joined Bayern Munich on loan last summer on a season-long loan deal. In said contract is an obligation to buy the Senegal international for £56.2million (on top of the £14.3m loan fee already paid), but only if a certain number of appearances are made this season. That figure is around 40, sources say, though there is no clarification on the exact number.

Either way, Jackson has made 29 in all competitions for the German champions this term. Last week, Bayern chief Max Eberl confirmed the club will not be signing the Chelsea forward on a permanent basis.

football.london understands it has been clear from an early stage that Jackson would not be moving to Munich for good, and sources close to the 24-year-old said back in February that the plan was for the striker to assess his options in the summer. Jackson has not closed the door on returning to Stamford Bridge either.

If Iraola is the head coach when he arrives back, things could look different for Jackson, as the Spaniard has already told everyone how much he admires the striker. Iraola used to manage Spanish club Mirandes, a club Jackson was sent on loan to when he was playing for Villarreal – and while there was no crossover, the Bournemouth manager clearly kept tabs on the Senegalese centre-forward.

The Cherries actually tried to sign Jackson in January 2023, around six months before Iraola was appointed, but the former Villarreal star failed a medical – only to arrive at Chelsea the following summer.

Speaking to the Bournemouth Echo in the summer of 2023, Iraola said: “It is a player I know really well, because he also played in Mirandes. I faced him with Villarreal. He is a very, very good player. He has the threat with his speed to attack the spaces. But he is also very good also when he receives, turns and attacks one-v-one.

“I think he will provide not only the goals, but a lot of chances. He will work well with the other forwards. I think he is a really good player.”

Asked about Jackson’s time at Mirandes, Iraola added: “I didn’t coach him but he went there when he was really young. He played there in the second division.”

If Jackson was to stay at Stamford Bridge next season, he would face competition for the No.9 spot under whoever the new head coach is. Joao Pedro has scored 19 goals in his debut season for the Blues and it seems unlikely that anyone would remove him from the current setup in west London.

The future of Liam Delap is uncertain after an underwhelming debut season. After signing for £30m from Ipswich Town last summer, the 23-year-old striker has scored just twice. There are reports suggesting Delap wants to stay and fight for his place, but that will be even more complicated by the arrival of Emanuel Emegha in the summer.

Emegha, currently at Strasbourg, is set to join the Blues at the end of the season. However, it remains unclear at this point whether the Netherlands international will be playing his football in the capital next season or if he will be loaned out elsewhere.