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Andoni Iraola: Spaniard exiting Bournemouth in style but where will he go next?

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One team Iraola has been heavily linked with is Athletic Club.

Ernesto Valverde announced in March he would leave the club in the summer, bringing an end to his latest four-year spell in Bilbao.

Born in the Basque Country, Iraola has strong ties to the club, making 510 appearances for them between 2003 and 2015.

His family’s desire to return to Spain is understood to be among the factors Iraola considered when deciding to leave Bournemouth.

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Reacting to Valverde’s departure, Iraola said: “It affects me probably as a supporter because I support the club.

“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.”

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.

“That job is available, if he wants to go back to Spain. There will be a massive, emotional pull for that job.”

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But interest from Spain might not just be limited to Bilbao.

Alvaro Arbeloa succeeded the sacked Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid in January, but the La Liga giants trail leaders Barcelona by nine points with seven games to go and were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich this week.

Could the former Spain full-back be tempted by the allure of Real Madrid’s star-studded squad and their vast transfer war chest? Or would he fancy a stint with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany before moving on to bigger names?

Nonetheless, where Iraola’s journey takes him next could prove to be one of the most compelling stories of the summer.

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IPL 2026: ‘I was looking at a score around 220-230’ – Ruturaj Gaikwad rues CSK’s batting lapse in SRH loss | Cricket News

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IPL 2026: 'I was looking at a score around 220-230' - Ruturaj Gaikwad rues CSK’s batting lapse in SRH loss
Ruturaj Gaikwad (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted his team let the game slip in the middle overs as they lost by 10 runs to Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026. CSK were well placed in the chase but couldn’t maintain momentum when it mattered most.Gaikwad explained that based on SRH’s strong start, he expected a total around 220-230, so restricting them under 200 felt like a win. However, the chase derailed after the 10-over mark when CSK scored just four runs in two overs, allowing the pressure to build.

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“Looking at how their power play went, I was looking at a score around 220-230. To pull it back by 30 runs, I would have taken it any day under 200. It was just about 80 runs needed in 10 overs (with the bat). From there, it was just about building a couple of partnerships. We scored just 4 runs in the next 2 overs after the 10-over mark. Chasing 12-13 at the death is going to be difficult,” he said.Batting first, SRH put up 194/9 thanks to quick half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen. CSK bowlers, including Anshul Kamboj, did well to keep the score in check.In reply, CSK got good starts from Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short and Sarfaraz Khan, but kept losing wickets. SRH bowlers like Eshan Malinga and Nitish Kumar Reddy controlled the game in the later stages.Despite the loss, Gaikwad praised his bowlers and highlighted Kamboj’s confidence: “It’s been three successive games that the bowling unit has been doing really well. Even the power play today, I thought Abhishek played brilliantly. I think everyone did a good job (with the ball).“He (Anshul Kamboj) is working really hard on his bowling, especially the death bowling. Very rarely you get bowlers who have clarity and tell the captain that I know what to do, this is what I am going to do.”

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Royals manager Matt Quatraro ejected before team throws a pitch vs Yankees

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It was a short day at the office for Matt Quatraro on Saturday.

The Kansas City Royals manager got ejected in the first inning of their game against the New York Yankees before his team even threw a pitch.

Kansas City wasted a leadoff double in the top half of the first, perhaps angering Quatraro. But in between innings, he had some words with a pair of umpires.

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Manager Matt Quatraro arguing with umpire Nestor Ceja at Yankee Stadium

Manager Matt Quatraro of the Kansas City Royals argues with umpire Nestor Ceja after being ejected during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York City on April 18, 2026. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

The speculation is that Quatraro was arguing that a balk should have been called on Yankees starter Will Warren for throwing to second base without coming to a stop.

For what it’s worth, nobody was even thrown out on Warren’s throw over. So the argument and ejection was all for naught.

And this all happened before Royals starter Noah Cameron even threw a pitch.

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Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro arguing with umpires at Yankee Stadium

Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro argues with first base umpire Chris Guccione and second base umpire Nestor Ceja after being ejected during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, on April 18, 2026. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

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Thankfully for Quatraro, he did not have to watch his team in person on Saturday, as they were down 10-0 in the sixth inning.

The ejection came on the heels of a tough loss for Kansas City on Friday, as they allowed a two-run home run to Ryan McMahon in the bottom of the eighth inning to lose, 4-2.

Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro looking at scoreboard at Yankee Stadium

Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro looks at the scoreboard before the MLB game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York, on April 17. (Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire)

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The Royals are trying to bounce back into the postseason after missing it last year, but in all likelihood, they will be off to an unideal 7-14 start by the day’s end.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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Mike McCarthy addresses biggest roster hole with much-needed weapon for Aaron Rodgers

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The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into a draft with double the number of typical picks. Armed with a dozen selections, the Steelers could see another sea of additions in a cumulative change as big as losing Mike Tomlin. The franchise will need all of the help it can get.

According to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in an Apr. 17 report, wide receiver will be the biggest area of need at the top of the draft, making it clear that the franchise will operate as if Aaron Rodgers is returning. Running with that, Sportskeeda’s mock draft simulator has filled in the gaps.

Pittsburgh Steelers mock draft for seven rounds

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Steelers mock draft - (Image via Sportskeeda)Steelers mock draft - (Image via Sportskeeda)
Steelers mock draft – (Image via Sportskeeda)

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

#1 – Round 1, Pick 21: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Oregon v Washington - Source: GettyOregon v Washington - Source: Getty
Oregon v Washington – Source: Getty

First up, the Steelers select Denzel Boston, who has seen his stock ascend in recent weeks. Boston earned at least 800 yards in each of his last two seasons and earned 20 touchdowns over the same span.

#2 – Round 2, Pick 53: Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech v Syracuse - Source: GettyGeorgia Tech v Syracuse - Source: Getty
Georgia Tech v Syracuse – Source: Getty

Aaron Rodgers didn’t get through the season intact, so protecting an even older version of the quarterback should be a top priority. Insert Keylan Rutledge, who will need to learn quickly.

#3 – Round 3, Pick 76: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati

Arizona v Cincinnati - Source: GettyArizona v Cincinnati - Source: Getty
Arizona v Cincinnati – Source: Getty

Of course, the Steelers are historically a defensive-minded organization, so Jake Golday was not going to slide past Pittsburgh. Golday earned 105 tackles in 2025, doubling his production from 2024.

#4 – Round 3, Pick 85: Bud Clark, S, TCU

TCU at Kansas - Source: GettyTCU at Kansas - Source: Getty
TCU at Kansas – Source: Getty

Bud Clark enters as one of the most experienced players in the draft with a college career dating back to 2020. Clark should have a great shot at starting in Week 1.

#5 – Round 3, Pick 99: Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Penn State

Northwestern v Penn State - Source: GettyNorthwestern v Penn State - Source: Getty
Northwestern v Penn State – Source: Getty

Dani Dennis-Sutton earned 8.5 sacks in each of his last two seasons and will now get to learn from T.J. Watt. He will also build on the 25 tackles for loss accrued over his final two seasons in college.

#6 – Round 4, Pick 121: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

Navy at Notre Dame - Source: GettyNavy at Notre Dame - Source: Getty
Navy at Notre Dame – Source: Getty

Malachi Fields will help Aaron Rodgers connect deep with a conference-leading 17.5 yards per reception in 2025. If Denzel Boston starts slowly, Fields could be the first one to pop of the two.

#7 – Round 4, Pick 135: Rene Konga, DT, Louisville

Louisville at Pitt - Source: GettyLouisville at Pitt - Source: Getty
Louisville at Pitt – Source: Getty

The Pittsburgh Steelers bolster the defensive line with Rene Konga. Konga saw a career high in combined tackles and tackles for loss in 2025, suggesting he could be entering a new level.

#8 – Round 5, Pick 161: Carson Beck, QB, Miami

Miami v Indiana - Source: GettyMiami v Indiana - Source: Getty
Miami v Indiana – Source: Getty

After a long wait, Carson Beck heads to Pittsburgh. Beck, who faced Fernando Mendoza in the college football championship, slides in late enough to not be an issue for Aaron Rodgers, but it does put Mason Rudolph on notice.

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#9 – Round 6, Pick 216: Fernando Carmona Jr., OG, Arkansas

San Jose State at USC - Source: GettySan Jose State at USC - Source: Getty
San Jose State at USC – Source: Getty

At this point in the draft, the Steelers double-up on players to add a higher chance of fixing the position group if the top player struggles, starting with Fernando Carmona Jr., who will be insurance for Keylan Rutledge.

#10 – Round 7, Pick 224: Devan Boykin, S, Arkansas

College Football Playoff National Championship: Miami v Indiana - Source: GettyCollege Football Playoff National Championship: Miami v Indiana - Source: Getty
College Football Playoff National Championship: Miami v Indiana – Source: Getty

Devan Boykin arrives with playoff experience in the national championship, which should help the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will help ensure that safety is fixed going forward.

#11 – Round 7, Pick 230: Eric Gentry, LB, USC

Iowa v USC - Source: GettyIowa v USC - Source: Getty
Iowa v USC – Source: Getty

The Pittsburgh Steelers receive an insurance pick with Eric Gentry, who had 76 combined tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks.

#12 – Round 7, Pick 237: Caden Curry, Edge, Ohio State

Miami vs Ohio State - Source: GettyMiami vs Ohio State - Source: Getty
Miami vs Ohio State – Source: Getty

Caden Curry bolsters the Pittsburgh Steelers pass rush with a great chance to see regular snaps after an explosive 2025 season with 11 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss.