Manchester United identify Kieran McKenna as potential manager candidate + initial contact made

Kieran McKenna has won successive promotions with Ipswich Town but spent six years on the coaching staff at Manchester United.

It’s amazing to think back at McKenna’s time as a coach at United. He was thought highly of by his colleagues, who won’t be surprised by his impressive job at Ipswich, but some fans online subjected Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching staff to harsh criticism.

Michael Carrick was in the same boat and he’s done an impressive job at Middlesbrough.

Now, McKenna has emerged as a surprise candidate to replace Erik ten Hag if the Dutchman leaves United at the end of the season.

That is according to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, who claims McKenna is also attracting strong interest from other Premier League clubs, including Brighton should Roberto De Zerbi depart. The Italian has been linked with bigger jobs and is set to discuss his future with Brighton owner Tony Bloom at the end of the season.

Aarons reports: “He [McKenna] is believed to be under serious consideration to take over from Ten Hag should United decide to bring an end to his tenure after a disappointing second season in charge, with the co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe poised to review his position after the FA Cup final against Manchester City a week on Saturday.”

The report adds that initial contact has already been made between United and McKenna’s representatives – but sources say it is still “early days”.

Fabrizio Romano gave a similar update to the Thomas Frank links, after the Brentford manager emerged as a potential candidate to succeed Ten Hag at Old Trafford. The Italian reporter stressed that it’s too early to discuss candidates when United have yet to make a decision on Ten Hag.

Ipswich will do their utmost to keep McKenna ahead of their return to the top-flight. He signed a new deal at the end of last season that ties him to the club until 2027.

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