Kieran McKenna: Ipswich Town reveal stance on Man United target’s future | OneFootball

Michael Carrick continued his dream start as Manchester United’s caretaker manager by securing a hard-fought 3-2 win over Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday, 1 February. Earlier this month, the Red Devils appointed the Englishman as the temporary replacement for former head coach Ruben Amorim until the end of the season.

Carrick has been tasked with steadying the ship after a turbulent 14 months under the Portuguese head coach, with a permanent manager expected to take over this summer. The Englishman has already exceeded expectations, winning his first three games, which included convincing victories against Manchester City and Arsenal.

However, United remain on the hunt for their next permanent manager, with several candidates already lined up for the role. A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person has suggested that Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is also in the running for the permanent position.

McKenna’s tryst with United

McKenna left an academy role at Tottenham Hotspur to take charge as United’s Under-18 manager in 2016. The Northern Irishman was so impressive with the youth side that former manager Jose Mourinho promoted him to the senior setup as assistant manager, alongside Carrick, ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.

McKenna held his role under Mourinho’s successor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, contributing to the club’s impressive run under the former Norwegian manager. A month after Solskjaer left Old Trafford in November 2021, McKenna took charge at Portman Road and has not looked back since.

He helped Ipswich Town earn promotion to the top tier of English football in 2024, but they were relegated back to the Championship last year. The Northern Irishman will be aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League, with his team now fourth in the Championship table, seven points behind leaders Coventry with a game in hand.

Kieran McKenna Managerial Stats

Source: Wikipedia.

With United yet to identify their permanent manager, McKenna’s steady rise in Suffolk has reportedly caught the imagination of the Old Trafford hierarchy. While his previous experience at the Theatre of Dreams could come in handy, an update on the situation has now emerged.

Ipswich Town want him to stay

According to journalist Callum O’Connell, Ipswich Town believe McKenna will stay if they can secure promotion back to the Premier League. Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “He was linked with Manchester United and Chelsea before he signed a new contract at Ipswich over a year ago.”

“He’s under contract at Portman Road until 2028 and he’s on a lucrative deal there as well, so it would be an expensive one if anybody wanted to lure McKenna away.”

“He wants to lead Ipswich back to the Premier League and if he ends up doing that I don’t see how Ipswich would even consider letting him leave. I’m sure McKenna if he’s back in the Premier League will be happy to stay as well.”

“That is despite those links at other clubs, which just show what a great job he’s done and how highly regarded he is at Ipswich.I don’t think there’s any plans for Ipswich to let McKenna go right now and they hope he can get them back into the Premier League following their relegation last season.”

Final Thoughts

McKenna is among the most exciting young managers in the country, but he registered a mere 10.5% win rate during his one-season stay in the Premier League with Ipswich Town. As such, INEOS may seek a more proven manager for the permanent position at Old Trafford.

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social