Ipswich Town: Chelsea, Kieran McKenna talks detailed amid intensifying Brighton link | OneFootball

Ipswich Town face a battle to keep hold of boss Kieran McKenna, with Brighton ‘pushing’ to make him their new head coach, whilst interest from Manchester United and Chelsea hasn’t gone away.

The Northern Irishman has developed a reputation as one of the most exciting young coaches in English football following the outstanding work that he has done at Portman Road.

After guiding Ipswich to the Championship in his first full season in management, the Suffolk side incredibly repeated the feat this season as they finished second to seal a return to the Premier League.

Brighton targeting Kieran McKenna

Such work hasn’t gone unnoticed, and it was claimed after Roberto De Zerbi’s departure that McKenna was a target for the Seagulls.

And, in a fresh development, the Guardian has revealed that the 38-year-old is the man that Tony Bloom wants to replace the Italian, but interest from the Red Devils and Chelsea is still there.

“Brighton are pushing to complete a deal to appoint Kieran ­McKenna as Roberto De Zerbi’s replacement, but they still face competition from Chelsea and Manchester United for the Ipswich manager.

“McKenna, who has emerged as one of the brightest young managers in the country after masterminding Ipswich’s promotion to the Premier League, is in line to move to the Amex Stadium if all the pieces fall in place. It is understood that certain obstacles have to be overcome if McKenna is to join Brighton, who have a vacancy to fill after parting company with De Zerbi by mutual consent.

“Brighton will need to agree a deal with Ipswich, who will be desperate to hold on to the 38-year-old.”

Ipswich Town’s success has attracted attention

The harsh reality of the football world could be about to hit Ipswich, as the chance to join any of the clubs mentioned is going to appeal to McKenna.

United are arguably one of the biggest clubs in the world, and he has a connection to them, so the chance to take the top job at Old Trafford is going to appeal. Meanwhile, Chelsea are another huge Premier League club, boasting a squad packed full of talent, so most would understand if he went to either club.

Perhaps the Brighton link is the hardest one for Ipswich fans to accept, but whilst they may not have an illustrious history, they are an established top-flight team.

The recruitment team at the Amex Stadium have done incredible work over the past few years, and Bloom is regarded as an excellent owner to work for.

So, the attraction is obvious, and it would be a natural next step in McKenna’s career if he did make the move.

However, there are absolutely no guarantees he will leave, and it’s important to remember that Ipswich are an ambitious club, and the connection he has built up over the past few years means leaving would be a tough call.

Clearly, they are going to do all they can to keep McKenna, but the update does state that contingency plans are in place, with Luton Town boss Rob Edwards mentioned as a potential replacement.

Ipswich Town’s summer plans

Ultimately, Ipswich need this sorting as quickly as possible, and there’s a danger if McKenna waits for Man Utd or Chelsea that it could drag into pre-season, as neither side has yet sacked their manager.

The Tractor Boys have a lot of work to do this summer in terms of reshaping the squad, and McKenna would have a big say in transfers, and helping the recruitment team identify players that they need to come in.

This uncertainty is not the fault of anyone at Ipswich, or even McKenna, but it would be beneficial to the Suffolk side if a decision was made swiftly, and it goes without saying that all connected to the club are desperate for the boss to commit to the club for their Premier League return.