AFC Bournemouth have confirmed the appointment of Andoni Iraola as the club's new Head Coach.
The Cherries acted quickly to acquire a new boss after parting ways with Gary O'Neil, who kept the club in the Premier League last season.
O'Neil took interim charge at the Vitality Stadium after Bournemouth's heavy 9-0 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield, which saw Scott Parker sacked as Bournemouth boss.
Iraola took Rayo Vallecano to an 11th placed finish in La Liga last season, just four points off a European spot in Spain's top flight.
The new Bournemouth boss was reportedly approached by Leeds United in February but the then Premier League side were blocked by Vallecano, as per Spanish football expert Guillem Balague on BBC Sport.
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What can Iraola bring to Bournemouth?
The Spanish boss will become the first coach to take charge of the Cherries outside of the British Isles, which shows a different direction from Bournemouth.
Whilst Gary O'Neil kept the side in the Premier League last season after a tricky start to the 2022/23 campaign, many fans were unhappy with the quality of football on show.
Now that they have gone across seas for a new boss, it shows that the Bournemouth board are willing to do anything to take that next step as a football club.
The likes of Aston Villa, Brighton and Brentford have taken strides in order to achieve European Football, and Bournemouth will be looking to make progress to reach those heights.
After Iraola was close to doing that with Vallecano last season, finishing above the likes of Europa League Champions Sevilla, Bournemouth will be very confident of success under their new man.
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Recruitment crucial
One thing that is still clear on the South Coast is the need for signings.
Whilst the Cherries stayed in the Premier League, if they are to take the next step they need better recruitment.
The signings they did make last season were vital in their survival. Neto coming over from Barcelona played a key role at the back for the Cherries, whilst Marcus Tavernier also played his part in the second half of the season.
However, they need to make more of an impact in the window to ensure the mindset changes from staying in the Premier League, to moving up the table.