The possibility that Kieran McKenna will leave Ipswich Town has increased.
The Northern Irishman has gained a lot of notoriety after his team’s thrilling Championship debut season.
The Tractor Boys are vying for back-to-back promotions and a spot in the Premier League.
Eddie Howe, who managed Bournemouth in 2015, was the last manager to lead a team from League One to the top division consecutively.
It is therefore not surprising that a number of elite teams are rumored to be interested in signing the Suffolk boss.
There are rumors circulating that the 37-year-old is a dark horse to succeed Jurgen Klopp as manager of Anfield.
Ruben Amorim linked with Liverpool
The clear favorite to succeed the German, who declared his intention to go at the end of the campaign in January, was Xabi Alonso.
The Spaniard, who has a connection with the Reds from his playing days, is having a great season at Bayer Leverkusen.
The former midfield player did, however, announce that he will remain with the Bundesliga team, which begs the issue of who will be the next to succeed the departing Liverpool manager.
Manager Ruben Amorim of Sporting Clube de Lisbon is apparently the front-runner for now, notwithstanding any connections to McKenna.
A verbal agreement between the Premier League team and the Portuguese coach suggests he is next in line behind Alonso, according to Give Me Sport.
The news will be welcome to those who follow the Islanders, since McKenna’s departure would be devastating to the team no matter where they finish in the league the following year.
At Portman Road, he has done a fantastic job leading the team from mid-table in League One to a promotion challenge in the Premier League.
The coach has managed 73 victories from 126 games since taking over in December 2021. Last season, they finished in second place in the third division with 98 points.
| Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town record – as of April 8th (all competitions as per Transfermarkt) | ||||
| Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | W% |
| 126 | 73 | 33 | 20 | 57.94 |
McKenna’s future at Ipswich is not certain just yet
Despite this positive development for Ipswich, there are still links to the likes of Manchester United, where McKenna has a strong connection.
He earned a positive reputation with the Premier League side during his time there as a coach, and is now seen as a future manager of the Red Devils.
Erik ten Hag’s own future is uncertain heading into the summer, so it’s still possible that the Manchester team will make a move for their former head coach.
In the event that the Scottish player leaves the London club in the summer, Darren Bent has also suggested McKenna as a possible David Moyes successor.
Through Ben Foster’s YouTube channel, Bent stated, “That’s the only fear.”
“He’s been outstanding, and if Ipswich doesn’t improve… I believe that a lot of people would be interested in him.
“West Ham and David Moyes, maybe. There are tons of alternatives.
Before Oliver Glasner was appointed, Crystal Palace was also connected to a move for the Ipswich boss, and they will probably continue to be interested in him as long as he stays at Portman Road.
If their manager Sebastian Hoeneß leaves anytime soon, even Stuttgart, a German team, is apparently interested in appointing him.
Liverpool’s pursuit of Amorim lessens the likelihood that McKenna will go this summer, but supporters of Ipswich will still be on tenterhooks about their manager’s future with the team.
Since it’s hard to see him leaving the challenge of getting the team into the first flight, a promotion would go a long way toward guaranteeing his future at the club.
But it will be extremely harder to decline that kind of opportunity if Man United, West Ham, Palace, or perhaps Stuttgart do make a move.