Source: Utd-linked McKenna set for Ipswich stay

Kieran McKenna is set to stay at Ipswich Town despite interest from Manchester United, Chelsea and Brighton, a source has told ESPN.

McKenna has held talks about extending his contract at Ipswich ahead of their first season back in the Premier League since 2002.

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A source told ESPN that McKenna feels “loyalty” towards Ipswich, who handed him his first managerial role in 2021, and that there is “unfinished business” following promotion from the Championship.

United and Chelsea have both shown interest in the 38-year-old. A source told ESPN he was also interviewed by Brighton after they parted company with Roberto De Zerbi at the end of the season.

Sources have told ESPN that any club appointing McKenna would have had to pay compensation of around £6 million ($7.7m). The figure was closer to £4m but increased following Ipswich’s promotion to the Premier League.

McKenna joined Ipswich in December 2021, and while they didn’t reach the playoffs in that season, back-to-back second-place finishes have seen his stock rise around England.

The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder started his coaching career as the under-18s coach at Spurs before joining United in the same role in August 2016.

He was promoted to Jose Mourinho’s backroom staff with the first team ahead of the 2018 season. After Mourinho was sacked following a disappointing start to that campaign, Ole Gunnar Solskjær retained his services throughout his tenure until late 2021.