The Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna’s representatives met with the Manchester United management to discuss the possibility of firing Erik ten Hag.
The 38-year-old led Ipswich to consecutive promotions from League One to the Premier League, making him one of the most sought-after coaches in the nation.
The way McKenna has implemented the team’s style of play, which has seen Championship leaders Ipswich play some of the greatest football in the nation, is equally as amazing as the team’s quick ascent to the top division.
Many Premier League teams are eager to try and sign him this summer. Talks have already been held by Brighton, who lost Roberto De Zerbi, and Chelsea, who need to find a replacement for Mauricio Pochettino.
In the event that United and Ten Hag parted ways following the FA Cup final, there were also rumors that United would be interested. However, according to Sky Sports, McKenna’s representatives have already had conversations with the Red Devils.
It is alleged that Omar Berrada, the recently appointed chief executive, and Jason Wilcox, the technical director, attended the meeting last week.
Speaking with McKenna’s agency, two of United’s most senior players seemed to be hinting that Ten Hag’s time is running out. They talked about the possibility of the Northern Irishman seizing the team’s reins.
After joining as the Under-18s manager in 2016, McKenna actually managed the main team at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and, for a brief period, Ralf Rangnick. In December 2021, McKenna made the move to join Ipswich Town.
The former Tottenham youth player, whose career ended too soon due to injury, has always backed United and might be more interested in returning to the Red Devils than moving to Chelsea or Brighton.
Despite a few turbulent seasons as a member of the United coaching staff, McKenna has a positive memory of his tenure there and believes it helped shape him into the manager he is now.
“There was massive pressure being at Man United,” he stated in an interview with The Telegraph last year. Every loss is catastrophic, and there is intense scrutiny and enormous expectations.
Resilience, the capacity to tune out distractions, the ability to concentrate on what matters, the capacity to control what you can control, and the ability to stop worrying about uncontrollable circumstances are all enhanced by it. In the role of manager of any club, that is crucial. It has really benefited me.