Kieran McKenna is set to provide Ipswich Town with a huge boost by committing his future to the Premier League newcomers.
McKenna is in advanced talks to sign a lucrative new contract amid interest this summer from Chelsea, Manchester United and Brighton, and is understood to be closing in on agreeing terms.
The 38-year-old has established an excellent reputation as head coach after guiding Ipswich to two successive promotions, completely transforming the club’s fortunes since his appointment in December 2021.
Promotion this month ended a 22-year absence from the top division to trigger interest from rival clubs in the highly regarded Northern Irishman.
McKenna decided to withdraw from Chelsea’s appointment process over the weekend, with the Stamford Bridge club now in advanced talks with Enzo Maresca at Leicester.
Yet behind the scenes Ipswich officials have been working on a new long-term deal, with majority shareholder Ed Schwartz flying in from the United States to hold talks with McKenna and the club’s chief executive Mark Ashton.
McKenna feels a great degree of loyalty to Ipswich for giving him his first managerial job, while he is fully settled in the area. There is now an increasing sense that he will be remaining at Portman Road.
A boyhood Manchester United supporter, McKenna spent five years at Old Trafford working under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before making the move to Suffolk. Old Trafford officials held talks in the last week with representatives of McKenna amid ongoing uncertainty over Erik ten Hag’s future as manager. United’s key decision-makers will conduct a thorough season review this week at which Ten Hag’s fate will be determined.
In his first full season, McKenna led Ipswich to promotion out of League One before repeating the achievement in the Championship.
Ipswich finished second, a point behind title winners Leicester and six clear of the play-off places.