Celtic would need to pay a compensation package in excess of £5m to appoint Kieran McKenna as successor to Brendan Rodgers.
The Ipswich Town boss, contracted until 2028, has emerged as the leading candidate, with interim stewardship at Parkhead currently shared by Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney.
Contract clause, backroom team and the true cost
Any move for McKenna is complicated by his long-term Ipswich Town deal and the expectation he will bring his full staff to Celtic. The 39-year-old works closely with assistant Martyn Pert, coaches Charlie Turnbull and Lee Grant, and goalkeeping lead Rene Gilmartin.
Factoring in that group, sources suggest a significant 7-figure sum on top of the headline £5m would be required, with Ipswich Town under no pressure to sell a manager who has delivered back-to-back promotions to the Premier League.
🟢 Kieran McKenna, Ange Postecoglou and Craig Bellamy are among many in the frame to replace Brendan Rodgers at Celtic.
The club are working on a shortlist of candidates ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/LMeyUMnQul
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) October 29, 2025
As it stands, there has been no formal approach from Celtic, but the structure of the manager’s contract means dialogue would be defined by clauses rather than negotiation from scratch.
McKenna’s profile is attractive: modern training methods from Manchester United, tactical clarity honed at Tottenham Hotspur, and the ability to build competitive teams quickly. For Celtic, the attraction is obvious, but so is the arithmetic. The club must weigh a multi-million outlay on staff against winter-window squad needs and the wider football department.
A clear plan that ties coaching investment to recruitment would be essential if Celtic are to justify triggering the Ipswich Town compensation.
Why McKenna appeals to Celtic — and what happens next
At 39, Kieran McKenna fits the long-term brief: progressive coaching, strong detail, and a track record of improving players. His work with Ipswich Town’s pressing structure, rest-defence balance and set-play details would align with Celtic’s need to re-energise the squad mid-season.
Crucially, his background alongside José Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Manchester United shows he can operate inside big-club pressure, a non-negotiable at Parkhead.
Welcome back, Martin #CelticFC🍀 pic.twitter.com/ZbWk2lAo6m
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) October 28, 2025
The interim stewardship of Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney gives the board breathing space, but the calendar is unforgiving: with fixtures stacking up, clarity on the technical area will matter as much as any signing in January.
The next steps are straightforward to outline, harder to execute. If Celtic decide McKenna is the man, they must accept the full cost of extracting him and his team from Ipswich Town, then present a project that convinces him to leave a stable Premier League platform.
Should the numbers prove prohibitive, alternatives will be required, but the profile cannot drift: a coach with clear principles, capacity to win immediately in Scotland, and the authority to drive European standards.
Until then, O’Neill and Maloney carry the short-term brief — and the Celtic board weighs whether one big cheque for McKenna is the quickest route back to stability.
