Ipswich Town will be due compensation of over £4 million for manager Kieran McKenna should he make the move to Chelsea, according to The Standard.
The Premier League giants are on the search for a new head coach following Mauricio Pochettino’s departure earlier this week. That was despite a strong second half of the campaign which eventually saw the Londoners finish sixth and secure a place in Europe. However, they face a wait to see which UEFA competition they will compete in next season.
They are guaranteed at least a Europa Conference League spot, although that could be bumped up to the Europa League if Manchester City beat rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Chelsea are keen to name the Argentine’s successor quickly in what is set to be a busy summer at Stamford Bridge. Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has quickly emerged as the frontrunner following his success at Portman Road.
The 38-year-old coach has performed wonders in Suffolk since his appointment in 2021. He earned promotion from League One in his first full season in charge and followed that up with a second-placed finish in the Championship to guide the Tractor Boys back to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.
This has put him on the radar of a number of top tier clubs, including Brighton & Hove Albion and former club Manchester United. Chelsea are looking to gain an advantage quickly though and could make their move in the coming days.
McKenna is under contract until 2027 and it is thought that Ipswich are keen to tie him down to an improved deal to ward off interest from elsewhere. Despite that, it is claimed that the Northern Irishman is flattered by the Blues’ interest and is keen to discuss the position.
Furthermore, the £4 million compensation that would be due will not put the six-time English champions off as they look to bring in a talented, young coach to guide the club forward.
Should they fail in their pursuit of the Championship Manager of the Year, Leicester City‘s Enzo Maresca is also being lined up.
Writer’s View
It is absolutely staggering that Kieran McKenna would consider switching Ipswich for Chelsea. Yes, it goes without saying that the Blues are the bigger club, but the job at Stamford Bridge is nothing more than a poisoned chalice.
The young coach will have something of a free hit next season should he remain with the Tractor Boys. He would be best placed remaining in Suffolk, where his reputation will remain intact regardless of what happens. See Vincent Kompany as an example, who performed wonders with Burnley in the Championship before suffering relegation this season. He is now on the verge of the job at Bayern Munich.
McKenna’s time at one of the big clubs will come, but it absolutely should not be with Chelsea.