Simon Grayson issues clear Kieran McKenna warning as Chelsea, Brighton and Man Utd lurk | OneFootball

Highlights

Former Leeds United and Sunderland manager Simon Grayson has warned Kieran McKenna to be cautious before deciding to leave Ipswich Town amid growing Premier League interest in his services.

McKenna has done an outstanding job since arriving at Portman Road in December 2021, and after leading the Tractor Boys to promotion from League One last season, his side made it back-to-back promotions this campaign.

Despite operating with a much lower budget than many of their promotion rivals, Ipswich finished in second place in the Championship, accumulating an incredible total of 96 points.

McKenna's latest promotion underlined his reputation as one of the brightest young coaches in English football, and the Tractor Boys are facing a battle to hold on to him this summer.

According to Sky Sports, the 38-year-old is one of the "leading candidates" to replace Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea, along with Brentford's Thomas Frank and Leicester City's Enzo Maresca.

However, Brighton are also keen on McKenna as they search for Roberto De Zerbi's successor, and The Times claim that both Brighton and Chelsea are willing to match McKenna's personal demands.

McKenna has even been mentioned as a potential contender for the Manchester United job amid uncertainty over Erik ten Hag's future, and he is no stranger to the hierarchy at Old Trafford having previously worked as a coach under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Ralf Rangnick.

Ipswich have reportedly offered McKenna a contract worth £5 million-a-year over the next four seasons, but the Northern Irishman is said to be likely to reject any new deal at Portman Road, feeling that it is the right time to move on.

Simon Grayson on Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town future

Grayson admits that McKenna will need to make a decision on when to make a move to a bigger club, but he warned him to be careful about leaving Ipswich as his next job could be more unstable.

"It's really difficult because I've been in a similar position, not to the level of Premier League clubs, but you leave a club you've done really well at and you think that you're going to go to another club and take your career to another level," Grayson said speaking to FLW via freebets.com.

"Sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

"Only Kieran will know if there's a definite option to leave, which will become more clear over the next few days I would think, and if there is, is it the right job for him at this moment in time?

"What he has done is shown that he's a very good coach, knows how to win matches, understands football clubs. "Ipswich have been a perfect fit for him at this moment in time, but the question that will always come to you as a coach is when do you make that next step to a potentially bigger club?

"It might be a bit more unstable in the job you're going to, who knows."

Kieran McKenna facing huge Ipswich Town decision

Grayson is right to warn McKenna to be cautious, and he knows more than most the dangers of swapping clubs after leaving Preston North End for Sunderland in June 2017, only to last just 18 games at the Stadium of Light.

It is an incredibly difficult decision facing McKenna, and while it is understandable why the prospect of a move to Chelsea, Brighton or Man United would be tempting for him, there are risks attached to all three jobs.

Chelsea have been a club in chaos for much of Todd Boehly's reign as owner, and it was a strange decision for the Blues to sack Pochettino after finishing sixth in the Premier League, and at a time when it looked as though they were finally beginning to make progress.

United are in a similar position to Chelsea, and there are doubts over whether McKenna would be given the necessary time at either club, while it has to be questioned if a move to Brighton would necessarily be a big step up from Ipswich.

McKenna has found a perfect home at Portman Road, and the Tractor Boys do have the financial resources to be competitive in the top flight, so he must think carefully before deciding to leave the club.