ANDONI Iraola insists the potential of increasing Cherries’ Premier League prize money is not a motivating factor for him during the season run-in.

Cherries are all-but assured of a third straight campaign of top-flight football, following an unbeaten run of results during March.

Iraola’s side missed the chance to mathematically confirm safety when they lost 2-1 at Luton Town on Saturday, which leaves Cherries 16 points clear of the relegation zone, the 18th-placed Hatters with six games remaining.

But sitting in 12th, the club are very much looking up the table at a potential top-half finish, as well as breaking their all-time points record tally of 46, set back in the 2016-17 season under Eddie Howe. Iraola’s charges currently have 41 points from 31 games.

Each position the club can climb up the league standings will earn them more money when the season concludes next month.

Although exact figures have not been revealed, it is understood each position in the table is worth around £2.2million more in prize money than the spot below, with close to £170m estimated to have been won by Manchester City for winning the league last season.

With just 10 points separating sides sitting sixth and 13th in the table, the difference in prize money for Cherries depending on how strongly they finish the season could be in excess of £10m.

But Iraola has not allowed that to come into his thinking.

“For me, I don’t think when you go to a football pitch, or I didn’t feel it when I was playing, you are playing better or fighting more because there is money associated to it,” said the Spaniard.

“Even if they don’t pay you and you go to play with your friends, you want to win.

“You want to give everything you have.

“I don’t think the players are thinking of these things.

“We want to win games, take as many points as we can and finish as high as we can.

“This is our thinking. When the players go out to the pitch, I don’t think they are thinking about the money associated to the position.”

Iraola added: “For sure the boardroom and everyone will be thinking of that stuff, but I think it’s more about the sport, the competitiveness to beat the opposition.

“To try to catch more teams, to try to continue in a good line. I think it is more about this.”

Cherries, who could still finish anywhere between fourth and 18th this season, will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Manchester United to Vitality Stadium on Saturday (5.30pm).