Ipswich Town ‘to appoint’ Gary O’Neil after Kieran McKenna exit | OneFootball

Ipswich Town look set to appoint Gary O’Neil as their new head coach after Kieran McKenna’s surprise departure.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has reported progress in talks, while Fabrizio Romano said on X that terms are agreed and only formalities remain.

Ipswich secured automatic promotion last season, finishing second behind Coventry City, their third rise in four years under McKenna. They are set to be among early relegation favourites and a side Leeds will aim to finish above.

McKenna left earlier this month, stepping away to take a break from football, leaving Portman Road searching for a replacement.

O’Neil has been in France since January with RC Strasbourg. The Ligue 1 club lost Liam Rosenior to Chelsea, with both under BlueCo ownership, and finished eighth, also falling in the Europa Conference League semi-finals.

The 43-year-old kept Bournemouth up in 2022/23 before being replaced by Andoni Iraola. He led Wolves to 14th in 2023/24, then was sacked the following December after defeat to Ipswich.

O’Neil will have time to impose his ideas before Ipswich visit Elland Road on December five. Leeds then head to Portman Road on May one, the fifth-to-last match for each team.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk