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

Leeds United’s 2026/27 Premier League rivals Ipswich Town are reportedly close to appointing Gary O’Neil after Kieran McKenna’s surprise exit.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has reported progress between Ipswich and O’Neil, while Fabrizio Romano said on Saturday an agreement on terms had been reached, with only formalities to follow.

McKenna left earlier this month, saying he would take a break from football, leaving Portman Road without a head coach at the start of a key summer.

O’Neil has been in France since January, appointed at RC Strasbourg after Liam Rosenior moved to Chelsea, with both clubs owned by the BlueCo consortium. Strasbourg finished eighth and lost in the Europa Conference League semi-finals under the Englishman.

Previously he kept Bournemouth up in 2022/23 before Andoni Iraola replaced him. At Wolves he steered a 14th-place finish in 2023/24, then was sacked the following December after defeat to Ipswich.

Ipswich earned automatic promotion as Championship runners-up behind Coventry City, securing an instant top-flight return and a third promotion in four years under McKenna. They struggled during their 2024/25 relegation and will take a second swing at the Premier League without him.

Ipswich visit Elland Road on December five. Leeds then head to Portman Road on May one, each team’s fifth-to-last fixture.

Source: yorkshireevenpost.co.uk