Kieran McKenna ‘set to STAY’ at Ipswich Town, shunning possible job offers from Man United, Chelsea and Brighton to sign new deal and spearhead their Premier League return

Kieran McKenna is set to shun offers possible job offers from a slew of Premier League clubs and sign a new long-term deal with Ipswich Town. 

The 38-year-old has led the Tractor Boys to back-to-back promotions and will bring flight football back to Portman Road next season for the first time since 2001. 

His exploits at the Suffolk club have made the 38-year-old a top target, and he’s been linked with the vacant posts at Brighton and Chelsea in recent weeks, as well as a possible candidate to replace Erik ten Hag if was relieved of his job at Manchester United. 

However, according to The Athletic, the Northern Irishman is set to commit his future to Ipswich and sign a new contract to spearhead their Premier League campaign. 

McKenna took over at Ipswich in December 2021, when the club were in League One, and in his first full season in charge led the club to promotion to the Championship. 

McKenna has led the Suffolk club to back-to-back promotions since taking over in 2021 

The LMA voted McKenna their manager of the year for his achievements at this season 

Having got the club into the second tier, the club then repeated this season, leading Ipswich back to the Premier League after they finished in second place to gain automatic promotion. 

A feat made all the impressive with Ipswich finishing ahead of recently relegated sides Southampton and Leeds, and their financial benefits. 

The achievement was rewarded by being names the LMA’s Manager of the Year earlier this month, and it has seen him linked with a number of big jobs in the Premier League. 

After Brighton decided to part ways with Roberto De Zerbi at the end of the campaign, McKenna was looked upon as the ideal fit to replace the Italian at the Amex Stadium. 

Then following Chelsea’s decision to remove Mauricio Pochettino from his job, McKenna was one of the early names linked replacing the Argentine as the Blues looked for a more progressive coaching appointment.  

McKenna’s name has heavily been linked with the possible manager’s job at Man United, too, if the club decide to sack Erik ten Hag ahead of next season. 

It would seem him return to the club where he served as part of the coaching staff under both Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and Ralf Rangnick before he was appointed as Ipswich boss. 

McKenna had been linked with returning to Man United were he served as a coach previously 

McKenna’s story at Ipswich is set to continue as they embark on their Premier League return 

With McKenna set to stay at the newly-promoted club, the trio of clubs will not look at other options to fill their vacancies. 

Chelsea, who in the last week had cooled their interest in McKenna, have now set their sights on Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca. 

While Brighton could make the bold move to re-appoint Graham Potter, with him still out of work following his stint at Chelsea. 

Over at United, Ten Hag’s may have bought himself some time after the FA Cup win on Saturday, with the board set to discuss his future at a performance review later this week.