How Kieran McKenna is said to feel about leaving Ipswich Town for AFC Bournemouth | OneFootball

Sources close to Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna have revealed his feelings on a potential move to AFC Bournemouth this summer.

Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth will be in pursuit of a new head coach this summer, after Andoni Iraola failed to agree a new deal with the Cherries.

The Dorset-based club were the talk of English football over the weekend following their excellent 2-1 victory at Arsenal, which could have huge implications on the Premier League title race.

Three days later, Bournemouth are once again in the limelight, but not for a good reason this time, as it's been revealed that highly-rated head coach Iraola is set to leave the club in the summer having failed to agree a new deal.

The Spaniard has been the subject of plenty of interest during his time on the south coast thanks to the exceptional job he's done, and you can't help but feel Bournemouth have been expecting this day to come for a long time.

Now, the Cherries must draw up a contingency plan for when Iraola departs the club, ensuring they appoint the right successor to carry on this ambitious project.

How Kieran McKenna feels about AFC Bournemouth move after shock Andoni Iraola development

Another manager who has often found himself linked with Premier League clubs is Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna. The former Manchester United coach has been at Portman Road since late 2021, leading the club to back-to-back promotions.

McKenna's Tractor Boys are in with a great chance of an instant return to the Premier League, and the job he's done in Suffolk over the past four-and-a-half years hasn't gone unnoticed.

Following the news of Iraola's imminent departure, Bournemouth are now interested in appointing the 39-year-old as the Spaniard's successor, in a move that could be hugely enticing for the Ipswich boss.

Sources close to McKenna have reportedly informed The I Paper that the Northern Irishman sees a move to the Vitality Stadium as "the next logical step”, and the opportunity to work with sporting director Tiago Pinto particularly appealing.

Pinto has played a huge part in Bournemouth's rise since his appointment in 2024, boasting a glistening CV with experience at top European clubs such as Roma.

The I now claims McKenna could be tempted to call time on his Portman Road career and head southwest from Suffolk to take up a new post as the head coach of an incredibly ambitious project at Bournemouth.

Kieran McKenna to Bournemouth rumours will be a huge concern for Ipswich Town

We've seen McKenna's name linked with different jobs so many times over the past couple of years, and yet no move is yet to come to fruition, despite how highly-rated he clearly is.

Whilst some of his previously linked vacancies, such as Tottenham Hotspur and Man Utd, present slightly unrealistic options, the threat of a move from Bournemouth seems much more real this time around.

It simply makes sense for the Cherries to pursue someone of McKenna's pedigree and tactical ability. The club is looking to grow with a young head coach at the helm, and the 39-year-old is said to be looking to make the next step in his career.

All-in-all, McKenna and Bournemouth just seem like a match made in heaven, which will certainly be a concern for Ipswich, as the threat of losing their beloved head coach seems a lot more probable this time around.