Manchester United have reached out to Kieran McKenna, the manager of Ipswich Town.
Manchester United have reached out to Kieran McKenna’s agents as they consider potential successors in case they opt to part ways with Erik ten Hag following the upcoming FA Cup final.
McKenna, currently the manager of Ipswich Town, has achieved consecutive promotions, guiding his team into the Premier League. He previously served as an assistant at United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The 38-year-old has garnered considerable attention from Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion this summer and was honored as Manager of the Year at the League Managers Association’s awards ceremony on May 21.
McKenna is among several contenders United will assess should Ten Hag depart from the club.
United affirm that no decision regarding the Dutchman’s future will be made until after their encounter with Manchester City on Saturday.
However, even a victory over their local rivals doesn’t guarantee Ten Hag’s retention.
Sources within United state that following the season’s conclusion, the club’s ownership, now with new minority stakeholders INEOS overseeing football operations, alongside key executives, will conduct a comprehensive end-of-season evaluation.
Upon completion of this evaluation, a determination will be made regarding Ten Hag’s continuation as the club’s manager, given that his contract extends until 2025.
United concluded the season in eighth place, their lowest-ever Premier League finish, owing to injuries to key players that disrupted their campaign.
Ahead of United’s FA Cup final, Ten Hag refrained from commenting on whether he believed it could be his final match in charge.
“(I am) solely focused on the task at hand, which is to win Saturday’s game,” he stated. “I came here with the intention to win trophies, and Saturday presents the next opportunity for us to achieve that. We’ve earned this chance as a team, and now we need to seize it.
“After each season, a review is conducted to assess where we stand in the project, identify necessary changes, as we’ve recently discussed.”