Potential Man United manager Kieran McKenna wanted by Chelsea | OneFootball

If Manchester United decide to part company with Erik ten Hag this summer, the question of who will replace him is becoming a complex one.

While player transfer rumours are relatively subdued for this time of the year, the world of management has been thrown into chaos with a number of high profile changes.

José Mourinho was sacked by Roma in January, just as Jurgen Klopp announced he is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season and Xavi made the same decision about his tenure of the Barcelona head coach role.

A few weeks later came the news that Thomas Tuchel and Bayern Munich would be parting ways by mutual consent.

Subsequently, Barcelona persuaded Xavi to stay but now look set to sack him, Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi announced he was leaving, West Ham announced David Moyes’ departure, Juventus sacked Max Allegri, Chelsea are reported to be close to sacking Mauricio Pochettino and Thiago Motta admitted he was contemplating leaving Bologna.

The situation has sent fans into overdrive, debating and predicting who will end up where when the biggest ever managerial merry-go-round stops turning.

Bayern Munich are trying their best to fill their vacancy but have bizarrely been rejected by a host of names, including Benfica’s Roger Schmidt, Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann, former United interim manager Ralf Rangnick, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, De Zerbi and even Tuchel, who was offered an 11th hour reprieve to stay on.

Other names linked with virtually all the vacancies – or potential vacancies – at one time or another include Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, England boss Gareth Southgate, Zinedine Zidane, Graham Potter, Hansi Flick, Antonio Conte and Ipswich Town manager and former United coach, Kieran McKenna.

The only certain appointment so far in terms of replacements is at Liverpool, where Arne Slot will take over the reins.

The names most commonly linked with United are those of Southgate, Tuchel, Potter and McKenna, with the latter now in danger of being snapped up by United’s west London rivals.

“Chelsea have identified Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna as one of the leading candidates to take over from Mauricio Pochettino, whose future is up in the air before his end-of-season review with the club’s hierarchy,” says The Observer’s Jacob Steinberg.

“… Chelsea are intrigued by McKenna’s work and understood to have spoken to his representatives, a development that will create further uncertainty over Pochettino’s position.

“Pochettino, who was appointed on a two-year deal last summer, has hinted he could walk away in response to suggestions that he could be sacked.”

With Brighton also reportedly keen on McKenna to replace De Zerbi, United might have to act swiftly if they want Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s former lieutenant to return to the club.

On the other hand, if Chelsea and Pochettino do decide to part ways, the Argentinian, who came close to joining two years ago when the job was ultimately given to Ten Hag, could fast be added to the shortlist of candidates to replace the Dutchman. Indeed, respected journalist David Ornstein has already said the 52 year old could be a dark horse for the United job.

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