2 Ipswich Town players Kieran McKenna could take to Celtic if he's appointed | OneFootball

The Tractor Boys boss looks to be in the frame to replace Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park.

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna appears to be one of the leading candidates to succeed Brendan Rodgers at Celtic after his shock departure this week.

2025/26 hasn't gotten off to the ideal start for Ipswich Town.

Having suffered relegation from the Premier League last season, many expected the Tractor Boys to be battling for automatic promotion back to the top flight this term, but after 11 games, that hasn't been the case.

McKenna's men instead sit 12th in the Championship, 12 points adrift of Coventry City at the top, and nine behind Middlesbrough who currently occupy the second automatic promotion spot.

So, the Suffolk-based side appear to have a real battle on their hands if they are to reclaim their Premier League place this season, and that could be about to be made even more challenging, as McKenna has emerged as a prime contender to replace Rodgers as Celtic boss.

The 52-year-old resigned from his post at Celtic Park on Monday, and as per The Scotsman, Ipswich's 39-year-old gaffer has admirers in the Glaswegian giants' boardoom, and is a leading player to replace Rodgers as such.

Football League World takes a look at two Tractor Boys stars McKenna could bring to Parkhead from Portman Road if he's appointed as the new Celtic manager.

Harry Clarke

Having signed for Ipswich Town in January 2023 from Arsenal, Harry Clarke was one of the players who went on the journey from League One football all the way to the Premier League with the Tractor Boys.

The former Ipswich academy talent was largely a regular starter during his time with the club in both the third and second tiers respectively, starting 41 of the 55 league games he played for Town in that 18 months of EFL action prior to winning top flight promotion for the 24/25 season.

However, he would see his role significantly reduced upon their ascension to the Premier League, as the versatile defender - who can operate as either a right-back or in central defence - made just seven league appearances for Ipswich during the first half of that season.

As a result, he was loaned out to Championship outfit Sheffield United for the second half of last season, but just as he was cementing an immediate starting role for the Blades, the 24-year-old would suffer a foot injury that would significantly limit his game time at Bramall Lane.

So, as he nears his return to fitness, Clarke finds himself comfortably down a congested pecking order at Portman Road, with Ashley Young, Ben Johnson and Darnell Furlong all for company at right-back, whilst he has the likes of Cedric Kipre, Jacob Greaves and Dara O'Shea to contend with at centre-back.

Celtic could do with some fresh blood at the back, as right-back Anthony Ralston has had issues delivering consistent performances in Glasgow when called upon, and so Clarke could have a real chance of leapfrogging him, as well as pushing Alistair Johnston for playing time there.

In central defence meanwhile, Auston Trusty's time at Celtic Park appears to be limited, whilst Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is still only 19, and looks a considerable way off from being ready to really contend for a starting role having joined on a season-long loan from Man City in the summer.

Hayato Inamura is another who looks to be facing a long road to regular first-team minutes, and so outside of academy graduate Dane Murray, Celtic only have the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales as natural, senior central defenders.

Clarke is out of contract with Ipswich Town in the summer, and so January could be the perfect time for McKenna to instantly bolster Celtic's backline with a player he knows and trusts, and who at 24, still has plenty of room to develop and grow into a real classy defender in the years to come.

Alex Palmer

Despite only signing for Ipswich in February, goalkeeper Alex Palmer has already established himself as Town's starting shot-stopper.

The 29-year-old joined the club from West Brom, in a deal that was reported to have been worth an initial £2m plus add-ons.

He solidified his reputation as one of the best keepers in the Championship with the Baggies, and didn't look out of place in his 13 Premier League outings for Ipswich during the second half of last season either.

However, after once again starting this season as Town's number one, he was forced off after 24 minutes in a recent clash with Charlton Athletic, and has picked up a calf injury that will sideline him for a few weeks.

Ipswich have capable cover though in the form of veteran goalkeeper David Button, as well as the man who started all 46 of their League One games on the way to automatic promotion to the Championship in 22/23, Christian Walton.

Celtic look to be in desperate need of a long-term answer in-between the sticks, and this is where a move for Palmer comes in for the Hoops.

38-year-old Kasper Schmeichel has been coming under significant criticism for his displays this season, and even if he was putting in the performances of his life, at his age, he's certainly not the future at the position in the green half of Glasgow.

Behind the veteran Dane is 27-year-old Ross Doohan, who re-signed for the club on a free transfer this summer having graduated from Celtic's academy as a youngster, and Finland international, Viljami Sinisalo.

The 24-year-old Finn has impressed when handed the opportunity, but at still such a young age for a goalkeeper, may not be quite ready just yet to take on the pressure and scrutiny that comes with being Celtic's starting goalkeeper.

Palmer, on the other hand, would be. He's a vastly experienced shot-stopper, and one that shouldn't be out of Celtic's financial reach despite still being a relatively new fixture in Suffolk.

The Ipswich man could provide the reliability and security that Celtic are needing in-between the sticks, is a player that McKenna clearly backs and trusts at the position, and would enable Sinisalo to continue his development and potentially allow the club to avoid throwing him into the deep end before he's ready.