Chelsea have decided to drop their pursuit of Ipswich Town Manager, Kieran McKenna, as a replacement for the recently sacked Mauricio Pochettino. McKenna, known for his stint as a coach at Manchester United before his managerial success at Ipswich Town, had garnered attention for guiding the team to Premier League promotion.
Amid McKenna’s impressive performance in the Championship, Chelsea had initially shortlisted the 38-year-old as a potential candidate for the managerial role. However, according to a BBC report, the club has since withdrawn from negotiations.
Alongside McKenna, other coaches under consideration include former Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi, Leicester’s Enzo Maresca, and Brentford’s Thomas Frank.
Efforts are underway at Ipswich Town to retain McKenna beyond the current season. His contract with the newly promoted club is set to expire on June 30, 2027. Ipswich Town is also in talks to extend his contract, potentially increasing the compensation fee for his services. Currently, any club seeking to secure McKenna’s services would need to pay at least £4 million in compensation.
Both De Zerbi and Maresca have shown interest in joining Chelsea, making them frontrunners for the coaching position as the club seeks to swiftly appoint a new manager.
