Kieran McKenna Approved for Chelsea Move: Ipswich Sets £4m Price Tag

Young Head Coach Eyes Chelsea Job

Kieran McKenna is showing interest in becoming Chelsea’s next head coach, potentially replacing Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.

The 38-year-old Ipswich manager is excited about the opportunity and is happy to be on Chelsea’s shortlist. Ipswich, however, wants to keep McKenna and plans to offer him a new contract, even though his current deal runs until 2027.

Pochettino parted ways with Chelsea by mutual agreement on Tuesday, midway through his two-year contract. Despite leading Chelsea to a sixth-place finish and securing European football, the club’s owners were not satisfied with the performance.

Chelsea has quickly started searching for their sixth coach in two years, and McKenna is one of the top candidates. As a former Manchester United assistant, he has successfully led Ipswich from League One to the Premier League with consecutive promotions, and he feels ready for a new challenge.

Ipswich could demand over £4 million in compensation, but that wouldn’t be a problem for Chelsea. Brighton is also interested in McKenna as a potential replacement for Roberto De Zerbi, who recently left the club.

McKenna recently won the League Managers Association Manager of the Year award, highlighting his success in bringing Ipswich back to the top flight after 22 years.

McKenna fits the profile of the coach Chelsea’s management wants—young, talented, and capable of growing with the club over the long term.

Ruben Amorim, the Sporting manager, has been Chelsea’s primary target, but he’s likely to stay in Lisbon this summer. Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness is also well-regarded but expected to remain in his current position.

Brentford’s Thomas Frank has fans at Chelsea, but he doesn’t seem interested in moving across west London. This leaves Leicester’s Enzo Maresca and Girona’s Michel as other strong contenders for the job.