Chelsea given “green light” to chase their top target of the summer, with 2 rival clubs in the mix | OneFootball

Chelsea’s owners have thrown the club into some disarray with their decision to sack Mauricio Pochettino at the end of a season where it felt like some stability was finally being achieved.

That could yet prove to be a good or bad decision, but either way their priority now must be to appoint his successor to minimise the damage of removing yet another coach. To that end, they’ve quickly identified their top target, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna.

Reports that started coming out from the moment Pochettino was announced to be leaving have put McKenna as number one, and now we’re getting more and more detail about the actual process of pursuing him.

The Evening Standard today claims that the young coach has given Chelsea the “green light” to indicate that he is interested, and that they should open talks with Ipswich to get him out of his contract there.

It looks like a fairly easy process, at least if you believe this story. If Chelsea want him, and he wants to come, that’s two major obstacles out of the way. All that remains is negotiating his deal with the club (not hard if he really is keen to come) and then negotiating with Ipswich.

Kieran McKenna with the Chelsea logo.

A reasonable sum for a top coach

This same Standard story claims that KcKenna’s current deal runs until 2027, but that it will cost just £4m to spring him from it. Presumably that’s because it’s been signed long before his potential as a coach was understood.

Ipswich have offered him a new deal themselves, but all the sources reporting on the situation make it clear that he’s keen to move to Chelsea rather than take a pay rise to stay at Portman Road.

The real threat here comes from other clubs, with Brighton and Manchester United also keen on him and able to offer impressive wages of their own. Speed will be of the essence.